Boy killed, 9 hurt in suspected LPG blast in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: A 10-year-old boy was killed and nine others injured in a suspected LPG cylinder explosion at Chinnayanpalya near Wilson Garden in central Bengaluru on Friday morning, officials said. 

The explosion, recorded at 7.47 am on a CCTV and reviewed by DH, sent the authorities into a tizzy as it damaged 17 houses and coincided with Independence Day celebrations. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar, Transport Minister and local MLA Ramalinga Reddy, RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge, Bengaluru police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and BBMP Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao inspected the site. 

The Central Crime Branch's anti-terrorism cell, Scene Of Crime Officers (SOCO) and bomb detection and disposal squad were also pressed into service. 

The explosion occurred in the home of Aiyappa, a daily wage worker, who had left for work early. His wife Kasturi (35) and eight-year-old Khayal are among those injured. 

Mubarak (10), who lived next door, died from severe bleeding, officials said. 

Others injured include Narasamma (50), Sabrina Banu (35), Fathima (8), Subramani (62), Sheikh Najeebulla (37), Pramila (38) and Rajesh (40). They are being treated at Victoria, Sanjay Gandhi and other hospitals. 

"Kasturi and her daughter have sustained the most burns, while others are recovering," a senior police officer told DH. 

"Prima facie, it is suspected to be a cylinder blast. Initial reports from the police and the BBMP suggest the same. Final reports from the forensic and fire departments, the SDRF and the home department will reveal the exact cause. Once the debris is cleared, the actual cause will be known. The area has small houses where people reside. I have directed the BBMP chief to repair and rebuild the damaged houses," the chief minister told reporters. 

However, the jurisdictional Adugodi police have not ruled out other causes of the explosion, including the presence of inflammable goods, as the process of debris clearance is still underway. 

A police source told DH that no trace of explosive substances had been found so far. 

The fire control room received the distress call at 8.25 am and dispatched two fire tenders a minute later. 

Chinnnayanpalya, a working-class neighbourhood, has about 35 houses, many over 50 years old. 

A local resident said Aiyappa and Kasturi had bought an LPG cylinder from an unknown source on Thursday night. "They asked the neighbours to lend them a cylinder as theirs had run out over two days ago," the resident old DH.