Six including a woman, child charred to death in gas leak

Six persons, including a woman and child, were charred to death and four injured in a fire that broke out following leakage of gas from a tanker at Puttur Perne, about 60 km from here today.

The bodies of the six were charred beyond recognition, police said. The driver of the tanker was among the deceased.

The injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital, they said, adding, six houses and four shops were also gutted in the fire.

Apart from the driver, the rest of the victims included residents of the houses and bystanders at shops.

"Even as fire and emergency health services rushed to the spot, the officials of HPCL to which the tanker belonged, came to the spot only around 1415 hours while the incident occurred at 10 am", police said.