BENGALURU: Basic training at a camp helped 29-year-old hotelier Zubair Ahmed save his mother 46-year-old Laika Anjuma’s life when a leak in a gas pipeline caused an explosion in her house. Her son had undergone a two-day training session at the RA Mundkur Fire and Emergency Services Academy on Bannerghatta Road, and learned about precautions to be taken during a gas leak or in case of a small fire, and first aid treatment needed.
Anjuma is still under observation at Victoria Hospital burns ward, and is said to be stable, while another victim of the gas leak, Mubashir, 40, has been discharged. Ahmed, a resident of 5th Main HSR Layout, Sector 7, recounted that he was at home when he heard a loud explosion around 8.30 am.
“My body shook due to the explosion. As BWSSB workers were working in front of our house, my mother went to the kitchen to prepare tea for them when the fire broke out. My father was outside the house,” he said.
“The GAIL pipe runs next to the chamber line. The gas started leaking through the sanitary pipes including the kitchen sink pipe, pipes in the washroom and wash basin. The main door was shattered into 45 pieces. I heard my mother screaming and I rushed towards the kitchen and moved her to safety. Because I am in the hospitality business, I had undergone a two-day training course in February. This helped me curb the fire from spreading,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed then rushed his mother to a nursing home and after getting first aid, she was shifted to Victoria Hospital. “Two persons including the BWSSB contractor have been arrested. We will arrest the others also. No one will be spared if they are found to be at fault,” said CK Baba, DCP, South East said.