Chennai, March 15 – A tragic explosion involving a cooking gas cylinder at a house in Navalur, near Chennai, on Sunday resulted in the death of two children and left four others seriously injured, authorities said.
The incident occurred at a residence on 2nd Street in Chamundeswarar Nagar, a residential area in Navalur, on the southern outskirts of the city.
The explosion caused panic in the neighborhood as the force of the blast partially collapsed the house and damaged two adjacent homes.
The victims were identified as Theeran, aged one and a half, and Krishika, who was four years old. Both children were inside the house when the explosion occurred and sustained severe injuries.
Despite rescue efforts, they succumbed to their injuries. Four other people were injured in the incident and are currently receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.
The injured include the children's parents, Sanjay (31) and Sonia (26), Sonia's mother Chitra (46), and a neighbor's child, Pradeep (7), who was also present in the area when the explosion occurred.
Medical officials said that some of the injured had sustained burn injuries and trauma from falling debris.
According to preliminary information from the police and fire department, the blast occurred when a domestic cooking gas cylinder exploded inside the house. The force of the explosion was strong enough to bring down parts of the structure, trapping the occupants under debris and damaging neighboring houses.
Residents in the area reported hearing a loud explosion, after which several people rushed to the scene to assist the victims before emergency teams arrived. Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services and the local police quickly reached the spot and launched rescue operations. Firefighters cleared debris and helped shift the injured to nearby medical facilities for emergency treatment.
Authorities have cordoned off the area to prevent further danger, as the damaged structures are being assessed for stability.
Police officials said a detailed investigation has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Preliminary inquiries are focusing on possible gas leakage or mishandling of the cylinder before the blast.