A family at Cheranalloor had a narrow escape on Friday when an LPG cylinder kept near their house exploded, causing extensive damage to the building.
A major tragedy was averted as the family members were not inside the house at the time of the incident, which took place around 11 a.m. The explosion near the house in Edayakunnu ward sent shock waves through the neighbourhood, and locals who rushed to the spot promptly alerted the fire department.
Incidentally, the family had gone out just 10 minutes before the explosion. The cylinder was kept in a small shed at the rear of the house. The fire, which was lit using logs and coconut shells for cooking, had not been completely doused, and a breeze from the nearby field is suspected to have fanned the flames. The fire then would have spread to the logs stored nearby heating up the cylinder leading to its eventual explosion, an official from the Eloor fire station said.
The blast resulted in the formation of a crack on the wall of the house, while the window panes were smashed. The fire consumed a foam bed, books, and clothes kept in a nearby room. Besides, a two-metre crater was formed at the spot of explosion. Two fire tenders were deployed to douse the fire. The preliminary assessment has pegged the extent of damage at over ₹1 lakh.
