Patna, Nov 21 (IANS): One person lost his life and two others sustained serious burn injuries after three LPG cylinders exploded at a sweet shop in Patel Nagar, in Patna on Thursday.

The shop is located near an ICICI Bank branch and is close to St. Albert High School, on Road Number 13 under the jurisdiction of Shastri Nagar police station.

According to the Patna police, the blasts took place when the shop owner, Upendra Prasad, opened the shutter of his shop at around 5 A.M.

“As he did so, three LPG cylinders kept in the shop caught fire and exploded one after the other, leading to serious injuries to Upendra and two others.

“The explosion was so sudden that no one had any time to react. Upendra and two of his colleagues suffered burns and were rushed to hospital for treatment.

“Later, shop owner Upendra Prasad succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The intensity of the explosions was such that it caused significant damage to the property and even caused a crack in the building's pillar, raising concerns about structural safety.

“The fire brigade responded promptly, preventing the flames from spreading to nearby shops and residential areas. Despite their efforts, the fire caused extensive damage, with the shop owner's family estimating losses to the tune of lakhs,” the police said.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, with safety concerns being heightened due to the shop being in the proximity of the school and other residential and commercial establishments in the locality.

Patna police confirmed the death of Upendra Prasad, adding that the injured persons had been rushed to the hospital and their condition remained critical.

“We have sent the body for post-mortem examination to the PMCH. Investigations into the cause of the blasts and the extent of damage are ongoing,” said an official statement of Patna police.