New Delhi, February 22 An LPG cylinder exploded while fire and police personnel were trying to extinguish a house fire in northwest Delhi's Majlis Park on Sunday, leaving 13 injured, officials said.
The cylinder blast injured six police and fire personnel deployed at the house where a fire broke out around 9 am. Several locals who were present at the building or nearby also received injuries at that time.
Police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and began firefighting and rescue operations.
"During the operation, an LPG cylinder exploded, causing injuries to several personnel engaged in extinguishing the flames and evacuating residents," a senior police officer said.
Three police personnel from Adarsh Nagar police station and three officials from the Wazirpur Fire Office sustained injuries in the incident.
All the injured were initially taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital for treatment. Due to the serious nature of their injuries, they were later referred to Safdarjung Hospital for further medical care, the officer said, adding that their condition is being monitored.
The fire was brought under control after sustained efforts by the fire department. Authorities are assessing the extent of damage caused to vehicles and property parked in the stilt area.
A preliminary inquiry is underway to ascertain the cause of the fire. Police said they are examining whether the blaze originated from an electrical short circuit or LPG leakage in the parking area, police said.
An eyewitness said that 13 people, including three fire personnel, three police personnel and seven bystanders sustained injuries.
"The fire broke out in the stilt parking area of the building around 9 am and quickly spread to the upper floors, triggering panic among residents and bystanders. The blaze started when a scooter battery was being charged in the parking area," said the eyewitness.
He further said that the scooter battery was on charging and suddenly it overheated. Within minutes, flames engulfed the entire stilt parking. The fire spread very fast and soon the whole building was filled with smoke.
Another eyewitness said that some residents and locals initially tried to control the fire before the situation escalated. "After the fire broke out, we were near the spot and were trying to douse the flames. The fire brigade also reached and everyone, including police personnel, was trying to control the fire," he said.
He said that all of a sudden, a massive blast occurred and many people sustained injuries due to the fire and shattered glass.
According to officials, several people were standing near the building when the explosion took place. The impact of the blast caused glass panes to shatter and flames to flare up across the stilt area and parts of the three-storey structure, injuring those present near and close.
A Delhi Fire Services official said, "We received a call about the fire at 9.01 am and immediately rushed three fire tenders to the spot. The fire intensified following the explosion."
He said seven civilians, three fire personnel and three police personnel were injured during the incident.
"The blast led to flames and shattered glass spreading across the stilt and upper floors of the building. Several people suffered injuries due to the explosion," the official said.
The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals. Their condition is being monitored. Police have initiated an inquiry to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and the sequence of events leading to the explosion. Legal action will be taken after investigation.
