Chennai: Four of family injured, two battling for life, in pre-dawn LPG cylinder blast

The blast is said to have happened when one of the members lit the stove without realising that the cylinder was open all through the night.

CHENNAI: An LPG cooking gas cylinder blast in a house at Kodungaiyur here left a family of four with serious burn injuries early on Sunday morning. The victims have been admitted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.

Debris following the collapse of
house wall caused by the cylinder
blast at Muthamizh Nagar,
Kodungaiyur on Sunday
morning | P Jawahar

The incident occurred at 5.10 am at Muthamizh Nagar. It is said to have happened when one of the members lit the stove without realising that the cylinder was open all through the night.

“The blast occurred as soon as the stove was lit. The fire was minor, but the impact was strong leading to four persons suffering grievous burn injuries.” While Venkata Prakash (52) suffered 62 per cent burns, his wife Geetha (47) had 55 per cent injuries. Their children, Sharmila (27) suffered 50 per cent burns and their 21-year-old son, Kishore, 80 per cent burn injuries.

The impact of the blast was so intense that a section of a wall collapsed. Even hours after the blast and despite rain that cooled the city on Sunday afternoon, the walls of the blast site remained hot.

“It took us only five minutes to reach the spot and rescue the people,” said a Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services official. “We put them in a ‘108’ ambulance and rushed them to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. The father and son are critical,” the official said.