Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 19: Two women sustained serious injuries when a gas leak from a cooking gas cylinder triggered a fire that engulfed a house at Tadambail Venkatramana Colony near Suratkal on Wednesday December 18.

Vasanti (68), wife of the house owner, Vamana, and Pushpa (72), Vamana’s elder sister, were the victims of the incident.

Vasanti reportedly failed to notice the gas leaking from the stove and lit it, causing the fire to rapidly spread throughout the house. She screamed for help, alerting Pushpa, who was washing clothes outside. Rushing into the house to assist, Pushpa became trapped in the blaze. Neighbours, who heard the cries, rushed to the scene, rescued both women, and helped extinguish the fire.

Vasanti’s saree adhered to her body due to the burns, requiring it to be cut away. She suffered burn injuries to her hands, face, and other parts of her body.

The roof sheet of the house was blown off in the explosion, producing a loud sound that startled the neighbourhood. The fire also spread to the exterior of the house, destroying the interior, a footwear stand outside, clothes, wood, and electrical wiring.

Vamana, a devotee of Lord Ayyappa, was cooking separately in a small kitchen outside the main house at the time of the incident. This separate kitchen contained two additional gas cylinders, which fortunately did not catch fire.

Officials from the Indane gas agency inspected the scene and checked the gas pipe, regulator, and cylinder. Preliminary investigations suggest the gas leak originated from the pipe near the regulator. Suratkal police and forensic experts also visited the site for further investigation.