TIRUCHY: Sixteen people, including a 14-year-old girl, were injured and 17 two-wheelers were damaged when a commercial LPG cylinder exploded at a tea shop in Perambalur on Tuesday evening. According to police, S Arunachalam (40) of Kurinji Nagar on Vadakkumadevi Road runs a tea shop near Kamarajar Valaivu in Perambalur town.
On Tuesday evening, gas leaked from the damaged bottom portion of the commercial LPG cylinder in the shop, triggering a blast. The flames spread up to around 10 metres from the tea shop.
A total of 16 people, including many who were inside the shop and those walking on the road, suffered burns. A total of 17 two-wheelers parked near the shop and all the items inside the shop were damaged. Of the injured, 13 suffered burns of more than 60%, while three others suffered 30% burns.
Perambalur police and fire and rescue personnel rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire. The injured people were taken to the Perambalur government hospital and nearby private hospitals for treatment. Later, 11 people were shifted to MGMGH in Tiruchy.
The injured were identified as S Vijayakumar (47), A Amirkhan (51), S Bhuvaneswari (32), R Abdul Rahuman (35), S Sivakumar (52), K Kamaraj (63), A Palanisamy (52), B Dinesh (33), M Manikandan (42), R Mithra (14), N Sivaprakasam (58), M Sagadevan (53), M Arumugam (50), K Palaniyammal (40), M Maheswari (39) and L Sakthivel (64).