Gas cylinder bursts in Rajahmundry; vehicles burnt, several injured

A gas cylinder blast at a temporary restaurant near Godavari Pushkar Ghats in Rajahmundry reduced at least 20 vehicles to ashes and left several people injured on Wednesday evening.

The incident caused a near stampede situation with the pilgrims running helter-skelter.
A stampede at Rajahmundry Pushkar ghat during Pushkaram festival had claimed the lives of 27 people dead on  July 14.

According eye witnesses the mishap occurred in Jagadamba food court which is close to Anam Kala Kendram, a cultural centre.

There were several ministers and officials in the Kala Kendra at the time of the blast. All of them are safe.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu along with his entire cabinet colleagues who were present in town for the cabinet meeting rushed to the spot and supervised the operations. Fire tenders immediately rushed to the site and doused the fire.

It is reported that at least 3 police vans were totally destroyed in the fire. Two shops close to a transformer which was engulfed in the fire were consumed by flames.

“It is a small mishap, please do not panic,” Naidu said. State Police DGP J Ramudu personally supervised the operation, helping the pilgrims to reach other bus and railway stations.

Earlier, the state cabinet observed two minutes of silence in memory of the people killed in the stampede.