‘How Could Anyone Survive?’: Three Dead, Three Injured After CNG Cylinder Explodes In Delhi

Three people were killed, and as many were injured, after the cylinder of a truck exploded while it was being refilled at a CNG station in the Tikri Kalan area in outer Delhi on Wednesday, police said.

All three deceased were employees of the filling station. The incident took place around 3.30 PM near Tikri Kalan Metro Station, which triggered panic in nearby places.

Police said six people were standing near the truck when the explosion occurred. One of the victims, Manish (25), who was filling the gas cylinder, died immediately after the explosion, while two others, Sunny (30) and Brahmjeet (34), later succumbed to their injuries.

The other three, including the truck driver, also suffered injuries, and they are undergoing treatment at a Mundka hospital. The condition of one of them is critical, according to police.

Police said the exact cause of the explosion was not immediately known, adding that they are examining the truck, the CNG cylinder and the equipment used during the refilling process to determine what caused the explosion.

According to a Delhi Fire Service officer, a call regarding the incident was received at 3.37 PM, following which six fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

Soon after the explosion, several passersby informed the police and fire brigade about the incident. The information about the blast spread quickly in the area, prompting emergency services to rush to the filling station near Tikri Kalan Metro Station.

Police teams also reached the spot promptly after receiving information about the incident and coordinated their efforts with fire officials.

The blast caused panic in the surrounding area, with some eyewitnesses saying they rushed towards the filling station after hearing the loud explosion. They described the explosion as massive, with one of the eyewitnesses saying that blood was scattered around the area.

Probe Underway

A forensic science team and the crime unit reached the spot following the incident and collected evidence from the site.

Police are also examining whether there was any malfunction in the gas cylinder or the refilling equipment. They have formed teams to investigate the entire matter and determine the exact circumstances that led to the explosion.

"Teams are also checking CCTV footage from the filling station and nearby locations. We are examining the footage to establish the sequence of events before, during and immediately after the explosion," a police officer privy to the investigation said.

The statements of the employees and other people present at the location are being examined along with the forensic evidence and CCTV footage. Police are also trying to establish whether all prescribed safety measures were being followed at the time the CNG was being refilled into the truck.

Vijay Prasad, a family member of the deceased Manish, indicated laxity on the part of authorities and said, "For nearly 30 minutes, he remained at the fuel pump near Tikri Kalan Metro Station before he could get an ambulance and be rushed to a hospital," his uncle Vijay Prasad said.

"He had lost so much blood. How could anyone survive?" Prasad told PTI.