Ludhiana, India – Seven people were injured, including three children, after an LPG gas cylinder exploded in labour quarters in Kanganwal. The incident occurred while some of the residents were illegally refilling LPG cylinders, according to police on Wednesday.
Panic gripped the area after the explosion on Tuesday night, prompting at least 25 families to evacuate their quarters and spend the night outdoors. The Sahnewal police have since booked a man, Gaurav Jha of Kanganwal, for his alleged involvement in the illegal refilling of gas cylinders.
The injured individuals, identified as Priya, 32, Simpy, 23, Pawan Kumar, 29, and three children aged 10, 11 and 14, were rushed to the civil hospital for treatment. Two of the children suffered serious burns, totaling 65% of their bodies.
According to police, a group of laborers was illegally refilling small cylinders when the gas leaked, causing the explosion. As women in neighboring rooms lit stoves for cooking, the gas caught fire and the cylinder exploded, resulting in burn injuries to the children playing in the veranda.
Local resident Shyam Raj Pandey reported the incident to the police and fire brigade, who promptly arrived at the scene. After an hour, the fire was extinguished, and authorities recovered a weighing machine and damaged cylinders from the room.
Sub-Inspector Jasvir Singh, Incharge at Kanganwal police post, stated that an FIR has been lodged against the accused under sections 285, 336, 337, and 338 of the IPC, as the accused also suffered severe burn injuries. The investigation has been initiated, and the walls of the labor quarters developed cracks due to the explosion.