HUBBALLI: A gas leak from a cylinder near the Virupaksha temple in Hampi resulted in a fire and a loud explosion on Thursday late night, shocking locals. The fire was noticed on a tea cart near the temple, and within moments, the cylinder exploded. Nobody was injured as the security guards had vacated the site after noticing the fire.
The blast occurred near the Salu Mantapa monuments, but there was no damage, said the authorities. “We were sitting near the gate which leads to Virupaksha temple. We noticed a fire around a gas near a cart where tea was being made.
Then there was an explosion,” said Nagaraj, an eyewitness. “The shack belongs to a tea seller. To ensure more jobs for locals, the authorities have allowed a few traders near the temple.
The authorities had suggested that cylinders should be avoided in shacks,” he added. This is the third cylinder blast in across sites in Hampi over the last two years.