Three LPG cylinders exploded one after another inside a house in Chandigarh’s Burail area on Monday evening, injuring at least four people, police said.
Police said that the impact of the successive explosions damaged the house where the explosion occurred and left cracks in the walls of many neighboring houses.
Residents rushed out of their homes after hearing the explosions.
Police teams and fire engines arrived at the scene shortly after receiving information about the explosion. A police official said that the injured were taken to hospital.
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The authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the explosions.
However, locals alleged that LPG was illegally refilled in smaller cylinders at the house where the explosion occurred.
Police said that at least 10 cylinders were recovered from the site.
Asked about allegations of black marketing of LPG cylinders in the area, a police official said: “These matters will be examined and are part of the investigation. When we arrived, our priority was to take the injured to hospital.”
Several residents claimed that illegal cylinder refilling is common throughout Burrell. Many alleged that LPG cylinders are routinely filled and sold illegally in residential corridors, posing a serious risk to public safety.
A local woman alleged that black marketing of records is being done while the management is asleep. She alleged that there are so many encroachments on the Borel lanes that even vehicles cannot move freely.
She added, “Such incidents put the lives of Burrell residents at risk.”
Another resident said that residents living in nearby houses rushed out after hearing loud noises.
He said between 10 and 12 cylinders were kept “illegally” at the scene.
