Seven persons were killed when a two-storey building in the congested bylanes of Ejipura collapsed into a mound of rubble on Monday morning following a gas cylinder blast. Seven persons sustained injuries in the incident.
Fire officials suspect that gas from a cylinder started leaking in the building, which was home to four families. Around 6.30 a.m. neighbours heard an explosion, and subsequently the building collapsed. By 2.30 p.m., the bodies of those dead were recovered.
“We heard a loud blast and we rushed out of our homes around 6.40 a.m.” said Vinod Kumar, who lives in the house opposite the building.
Fire and police officials are yet to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
“The victims did have burn marks, but there is no conclusive proof there was an explosion that could have weakened the building,” said Chandragutpa, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central).
During rescue operations, the collapse of the building saw four members of the Fire and Emergency personnel also injured.
The Karnataka government has announced a compensation of ₹5lakh for the deceased.
