Fatehpur (Uttar Pradesh): A gas leak from a cylinder in a two-room house led to an explosion, leaving nine people in a critical condition in Pilkhini village under the Kalyanpur police station area of Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, officials said on Monday.
According to preliminary information, six people who were inside the house at the time of the blast sustained severe burn injuries, while three others were injured after rushing in to rescue the victims amid the fire and chaos caused by the explosion.
As soon as information about the incident was received, police teams and ambulances rushed to the spot and shifted all the injured to Malwan Medical College for emergency treatment.
Officials said the condition of several victims was critical, following which eight of the injured were referred to Kanpur for advanced medical care.
To ensure immediate treatment without delay, the administration created a green corridor to facilitate the swift transfer of the injured to Kanpur hospitals.
Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik, who reached the site to inspect the situation, said, “The preliminary investigation indicated that the incident was caused by a gas leak from a cylinder. The cylinder itself did not explode.”
He further stated that the district administration and police were continuously monitoring the situation and that dedicated officers had been assigned in Kanpur to coordinate treatment for the injured.
“The administration has deployed an inspector and a sub-inspector in Kanpur to ensure that the injured receive the best possible treatment. The District Magistrate and police administration are continuously monitoring the situation,” SP Manglik said.
The incident took place at around 9 p.m. on Sunday when Kalawati, wife of Santosh Lodhi, was preparing dinner inside the house. During cooking, a gas pipe reportedly began leaking.
Before family members could react or control the leak, the accumulated gas caught fire, resulting in a massive explosion inside the house. Kalawati was among the first to be engulfed in flames.
Hearing screams from inside the house, family members and nearby residents rushed in to rescue those trapped in the burning structure. During the rescue attempt, several others also suffered serious burn injuries.
Those injured in the incident include Sajan, Sulekha, Sanjay — who is reportedly the family’s son-in-law — daughter Sunita, granddaughter Rita, Soni, and a neighbour identified as Karan.
Villagers gathered at the spot immediately after the explosion and collectively helped in controlling the fire before emergency services arrived. They also assisted in rescuing the injured from the damaged house.
Kalyanpur police station in-charge Sumit Dev Pandey said all seriously injured victims had been referred to Hallett Hospital in Kanpur for specialised treatment.
“The injured have been referred to Hallett Hospital, Kanpur. Other officers are present at the spot, and the matter is being investigated,” Pandey said.
Police officials and administrative teams continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the leak and explosion while monitoring the condition of the injured, who are undergoing treatment in Kanpur.
(IANS)
