LUCKNOW: Five people of a family were killed and four others got injured when two LPG cylinders exploded in a house in the Hata Hazrat Sahab area here, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place Tuesday around 10.30 pm in the area under Kakori Police Station jurisdiction.
The blast was preceded by a fire, which was said to have been caused by a short circuit. It took three teams of fire brigade and help from locals to douse the fire.
Nine members of the family were rushed to the Trauma Centre of King George Medical University, where five of them died, police said.
The deceased were identified as Mushir, 50, his wife Husn Bano, 45, Raiya, 7, Uma, 4, and Hina, 2, they said.
Isha, 17, Lakab, 21, Amjad, 34, and Anam, 18, were hospitalised with burn injuries, police added.
Talking to reporters at Trauma Centre, District Magistrate Suryapal Gangwar said of the four under care at the hospital, two are critical with 90 per cent burns, while the other two had 40 per cent and 50 per cent burn injuries.
When asked whether the house was being used to run a cracker factory, as some reports suggested, the DM said no such information has yet come to the fore.
"Our teams are probing the matter." KGMU Trauma Centre In-charge Dr Sandeep Tiwari said two of the patients are very critical. "We are taking all care of them."
Mohammad Chand, a local, told PTI Videos that the incident had taken place when the children were watching TV after having dinner.
"While four persons came out charred, Mushir came out safe. He then went inside the house to save the others but trapped in the fire. At around 11.10 when lights were switched on a blast took place," he said.
Jamil Ahmad said that those who died included Mushir, his wife, and niece and nephew.
Tahsin Ahmand, another witness, said the cylinder blast took place after a short circuit, ripping through the entire house.