JOIN USShattered windowpanes from neighbouring houses strewn all over made ‘Shalom Mansion’ look like a battlefield.
The residential building at Annayappa Garden 2nd Cross in Ejipura, central Bengaluru, was rocked by a gas explosion on Sunday afternoon.
The long weekend turned a nightmare for residents as the explosion stoked panic and fear. The loud explosion around 1 pm drew everyone out of their homes.
Ajith, who lives next door, said he saw a man with severe burns. “I was eating lunch when the blast took place. Initially, I thought it was the sound of a transformer. I rushed out and saw a man with severe burns walking out. Even his clothes were burnt,” he said.
‘Shalom Mansion’ has eight homes — four each on the ground and first floors. The explosion occurred in one of the ground-floor homes. The explosion was so powerful that it broke the doors and ripped fragile goods.
One of the injured, 25-year-old Nandu, who lives on the ground floor, told Deccan Herald, “I was asleep when the explosion took place. I remember waking up with a head injury. My head banged against the bed and I ran out screaming for help,” he said. Nandu’s roommates were away at that time. By evening, neighbours were busy taking out their essentials to spend the night elsewhere.