CNG cylinder blast at filling station near Tikri Metro kills three

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

Three persons were killed and three others injured after a CNG cylinder installed in a truck exploded at a filling station near Tikri Kalan metro station in west Delhi on Wednesday, the police said.

The deceased were identified as Manish, 25, Sunny, 32, and Brahmjeet, 34, all employees of the CNG filling station. Of the three injured, Surjeet, 32, and Sanjay, 37, were shifted to a Mundka hospital, where they were undergoing treatment; Vipin sustained minor injuries.

According to the police, six persons were standing near the truck when the explosion occurred around 3.20 p.m. Seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot following a distress call, though no firefighting was required.

Speaking to The Hindu, DCP (Outer) Vikram Singh said that the truck had multiple CNG cylinders fitted underneath it and the blast occurred while gas was being filled into one of them. “Manish, a station employee who was filling the gas, bore the brunt of the blast and died on the spot. Two other men who were in the vicinity of the truck also sustained fatal injuries,” he said.

The explosion damaged another truck, a van, a scooter and equipment at the filling station. Following the blast, the filling station was cordoned off and the truck involved was seized for technical examination to ascertain the circumstances leading to the explosion.

Police said the exact cause of the blast was being investigated. Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has been asked to examine the technical aspects of the incident. A case of negligence has been registered and further investigation is under way.

Meanwhile, the family of Manish alleged that he remained at the filling station for some time before an ambulance arrived and he could be taken to Safdarjung Hospital. Police, however, denied any delay and stated that the injured were prioritised.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.