9 injured after leaking cylinder explodes

NEW DELHI: Nine persons, four belonging to a family, were injured, after a fire broke out when a leaking cooking gas cylinder exploded in a slum cluster in Indira Kalyan Vihar near Okhla industrial area in south Delhi on Friday morning.

The explosion damaged at least five adjacent jhuggis.

Five fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Around 20 firemen took almost an hour to douse the flames, even as the rescue operation and removal of debris continued till late evening.

Around 6am, a fire broke out as a local resident, Jitender, lit his beedi.

Before the family members could rush out, an explosion took place in the jhuggi because of which the structure collapsed. The adjacent jhuggis were also affected in the fire.

During the spot enquiry, a police officer said, it was learnt that there was a leakage in the gas cylinder kept at Jitender’s jhuggi. The family members were unaware of the gas leakage and did not notice it when they woke up in the morning.

The nine injured persons were trapped under the debris and were rescued by the rescue teams of the fire department and members of the disaster management with the help of the local police. All were admitted to Safdarjung Hospital from where six were discharged after medical attention.

The three seriously injured persons were identified as Jitender,46, his wife Uma Devi, 39, and son Nakul, 9.

Jitender’s daughter, Surbhi, was also injured in the fire that broke out in their jhuggi.

The three, who are undergoing treatment, have suffered burn injuries and their condition was serious, said police.