Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 7: After an LPG cylinder went off at a unit which was engaged in illegal refilling of LPG cylinders on Sunday May 6, a two-storeyed building crashed to the ground. A youth died in the accident, while a woman and a child suffered injuries.

The victim of this incident which happened at Kadugodi was Afsar Pasha (22). He died after getting buried under the debris of the building. National Disaster Response Force and fire department officials worked for six hours and succeeded in extricating Pradeep from the heap of mud and concrete alive.

The building in question was housing B A K Gas Distributors godown since the last 15 years near Gandhi Circle, Kadugodi. The illegal refilling of gas that was being conducted there 10 am on Sunday, triggered a blast from a single cylinder and seven cylinders went off at a time. The dilapidated two-storied building collapsed as a result. The building had one gas distribution unit and three houses. Afsar Pasha, who was in the shop at the time and Pradeep from Assam were buried under the heap. A lady named Sultana and her son, Syed, who were in one of the houses, suffered injuries.

As gas leakage continued during the operation, the personnel struggled to control it. Due to inhalation of gas, a fireman fell ill and he was admitted into hospital. Owner of the gas distribution refilling centre, Khalid, has gone missing after the blast and Kadugodi station police personnel have launched a search for him. The police expressed surprise about the failure of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike officials in taking action against illegal cylinder refilling unit that was functional since the last 15 years. Some locals said that a similar incident of cylinder blast had happened here five years back.