Bangalore: Panic shook the residents of 7th cross, Kenchanahalli in RR Nagar as the walls of a house collapsed and five people including two children sustained burn injuries in a massive explosion caused by a gas leak early Tuesday.
The victims have been identified as Mahantesh (34), his wife Sumanabai (28), Monica (4) and Harshitha (2), and Sumanabai’s older brother, Gajendra Nayak (30). The condition of Gajendra Nayak and Monica is said to be critical.
Mahantesh works at a nursery in the area, while Sumanabai is a housewife. Her brother Gajendra Nayak, who works as a school teacher in Koppal, came to visit the family two days ago.
Police said the family had dinner and went to bed around 11.30 pm on Monday. Around 4.30 am, Gajendra Nayak reportedly woke up and switched on a light, which triggered a huge explosion injuring all the five people.
Officials suspect that the family must have forgotten to turn off the gas regulator after dinner was cooked, causing gas to leak from the cylinder in the kitchen and spread throughout the house. The doors and windows of the house were all reportedly closed.
When the light was switched on, it triggered an immediate explosion in which Gajendra Nayak and Monica are said to have sustained severe burn injuries.
The impact of the blast was so strong that the walls of the ground-floor house collapsed immediately, waking the neighbours, who rushed outside and took the injured family to the hospital.
Mahantesh, SumanaÂbai, and Harshitha are receiving treatment for minor injuries at a private hospital while Gajendra Nayak and Monica are being treated at Victoria Hospital.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, MLA S T Somashekhar, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) D C Rajappa reportedly visited the spot and consoled relatives of the victims. The RR Nagar police have registered a case and further investigations are on.
