Five injured after gas cylinder explodes

TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Five persons, including a woman were left injured when a LPG cylinder exploded in a residential house belonging to Vallabh Barad near St Sebastian Chapel, Benaulim, on Thursday morning.
The five sustained burn injuries when they were in the process of extinguishing the fire when the LGP cylinder inside the house exploded. While Minguel alias Congred and Francis D’Costa are admitted at Apollo Hospital, Elston Rodrigues and Natidade Bosco Fernandes are convalescing at Hospicio Hospital. Surekha Barad is admitted in Grace Cardiac hospital.
Natidade told Herald from the Hospicio bed that he and the three locals had gone to lend a helping hand to extinguish the fire after they saw smoke billowing from the house. “The locals called the woman of the house, named Surekar, who was in their nearby shop and also got the car out from the porch. Two of the local persons had entered the house, while I gave them a water pipe when the house was hit by a loud blast injuring all of us”, he said. The roof of the rear side of the house was blown off due to the impact of the blast.
A neighbour pointed out that they saw thick black smoke billowing from an electric wire and shouted for help. “The explosion saw a huge flame engulfing the four persons who were inside trying to put off the fire”, she said.
Locals and former PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao contended that the fire brigade arrived late at the spot, adding that the injured were transported to the hospital by his private car. “We have shifted two of the injured persons to Apollo Victor hospital,” he added.
Colva PI Uttam Raut Desai informed that a police team rushed to Benaulim after receiving a call that a house was on fire. “Right now, we suspect an electric short circuit behind the fire”, PI Uttam said, while saying that investigations into the incident are on.