Three people were killed and three others injured after a CNG cylinder of a truck exploded while it was being refilled at a CNG station in Tikri Kalan in outer Delhi on Wednesday, police said.
All three deceased — Manish (25), Sunny (30) and Brahmjeet (34) — were employees of the filling station.
The explosion occurred around 3.30 pm near Tikri Kalan Metro Station, triggering panic in the area. According to police, six people were standing near the truck when the cylinder exploded.
Manish, who was filling the gas cylinder, died on the spot. Sunny and Brahmjeet later succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.
The three injured, including truck driver Surjeet, were taken to hospitals in the Mundka area. Police said the condition of one of the injured was critical.
A Delhi Fire Service official said a call about the incident was received at 3.37 pm, following which six fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
Police and emergency personnel reached the filling station soon after the explosion. A forensic science team and the crime unit also examined the site and collected evidence.
The exact cause of the blast is yet to be ascertained. Police are examining the truck, CNG cylinder and refilling equipment to determine whether there was a technical malfunction or a lapse in safety procedures.
Police teams are also examining CCTV footage from the filling station and nearby locations to establish the sequence of events. Statements of employees and others present at the station are being recorded as part of the investigation.
Family members of the victims, however, alleged that there was a delay in providing medical assistance to the injured.
Vijay Prasad, uncle of Manish, alleged that his nephew lay injured at the filling station for nearly 30 minutes before he was taken to hospital.
"He had lost so much blood. How could anyone survive?" Prasad told PTI.
Prasad said Manish had been working at the station for around three years and had reported for duty at about 2 pm on Wednesday.
"I got a call saying that a cylinder had exploded and Manish was serious. I called my brother, and he, my nephew and several other people came here," he said.
"There was no one to take him. All gas station staff ran away," Prasad alleged.
Manish was eventually taken to Safdarjung Hospital, but he had lost a significant amount of blood by then, according to his uncle.
Relatives of Brahmjeet and another injured worker, Akshay, also alleged delays in getting medical assistance.
Aditya, a relative of the two men, said Brahmjeet died at the spot while Akshay suffered severe injuries to his back and internal and blunt trauma. He said Akshay was in critical condition.
The families of Brahmjeet and Akshay, who are from Nizampur, rushed to the spot after learning about the explosion. Aditya alleged that they found no police or ambulance there and had to take the injured to Jeevan Jyoti Hospital in Bahadurgarh themselves.
Police, however, said senior officers, including the DCP of Outer District, ACP and SHO of Mundka Police Station, reached the spot soon after the incident.
The blast has also raised questions over the safety and certification of CNG-powered vehicles and cylinders.
Auto expert Anil Chhikara, a faculty member at the Asian Institute of Transport Development, called for stricter monitoring of CNG cylinder testing and certification.
He alleged that CNG cylinders were not always tested at the prescribed intervals and that fake certificates were being issued in some cases. He also said deposits such as mud on cylinders could affect heat conductivity and increase cylinder temperature and pressure, potentially leading to explosions.
Chhikara further claimed that the Delhi government does not directly oversee CNG testing stations and that some stations in Delhi-NCR issue certificates without conducting proper physical inspections.
Police have not yet established whether any certification or safety lapse contributed to Wednesday's explosion. The investigation is underway.
(With inputs from PTI)
