Ghaziabad: Four people, including a toddler, were killed while two others got critically injured after a two-storey house collapsed due to a LPG cylinder blast in Loni area of
Ghaziabad on Wednesday morning. The incident took place in Bablu Garden colony in Loni area at the time when the family living in the house was cooking food.
"Nine people including children were living in the house and six persons were present inside the house while two children were playing outside when the blast occurred," said Dr Iraz Raza, superintendent of police (rural) Ghaziabad while adding that police was informed about the incident around 10 am.
"Immediately a police team rushed to the spot and with the help of firefighting teams and NDRF officials, the rescue operations was started. The walls and linter of the two story house collapsed due to the blast and six persons were trapped under the debris. They were rushed to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital where doctors declared four persons dead on arrival while two injured including a child have been admitted to a private hospital for treatment," added Raza.
According to police, the deceased are identified as 10-month-old Inayat, Saniya (15), Rukaiya (24) and Shabnoor (21). Those who survived in the incident are Mehraj (45) and Baby (18). Following the incident, Senior Superintendent of Ghaziabad police Muniraj G, district magistrate Rakesh Kumar, rushed to the spot. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths and directed officials to ensure adequate treatment of those injured.
"The blast occurred due to leakage in the gas cylinder pipe when the family was cooking food. We are noting down details of the victims
and will provide financial
assistance to the family if needed," said district magistrate Rakesh Kumar.
A neighbour living in the area said that the intensity of explosion was such that they heard a loud blast sound with tremors in floor. "It was a terrible loud sound and initially we didn't understand what has happened. Later we heard loud cries and screams for help and we rushed to the spot. The impact was such that walls and linter of the house turned into debris. Locals started
rescuing the victims and later police officials pulled out victims. The victims had severe burns and injuries all over the body," he said.