A 22-year-old man was killed and three others were injured when a single-storey building collapsed after a LPG cylinder from a private agency operating on the ground floor exploded. The incident took place at Bapuji Circle in Kadugodi on Sunday around 10 a.m.
The deceased has been identified as Syed Afsar.
Residents, who ran out of their homes on hearing the blast, were shocked to see the building turn into a heap of rubble. People started panicking as the area was covered with dust.
The Kadugodi police, Fire and Emergency Services personnel, and a team from the National Disaster Response Force arrived shortly after. With the help of a crane, they were able to clear the debris and pull out four people.
They were rushed to the nearby Vydehi Hospital where Syed Afsar died. Sultana, 25, her three-year-old son Zain, and another resident Saleem are undergoing treatment.
According to the police, the residential building belonged to Khalid Khan who also owns the private LPG cylinder distribution agency with his partner Parvez. They had employed Syed Afsar and Saleem. Sultana and her family were living on the first floor of the building.
The police suspect that Syed Afsar was refilling the cylinder as he sustained severe head injuries in the explosion. “The house was old and built on substandard material,” a police officer said.
The Kadugodi police have registered a case against the owners. Parvez has been arrested, while Khalid is absconding. “Preliminary inquiry revealed that the accused had taken licence to run the agency, but we are looking for documents to substantiate their claim,” the police said.
60 cylinders found
Subheesh K.S., Assistant Commandant, NDRF, said there were more than 60 cylinders in the agency. “A few were damaged and had started leaking,” he said.
The entire rescue operation took nearly four hours.
