: Explosion of two truck loads of LPG cylinders created panic among the people near Chinatamani on wee hours of Monday. The trucks were burnt to ashes.
The explosion besides causing panic among panic led to traffic jam on Chintamani-Bagepalli Road.
No casualties were reported in the major fire accident.
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About 880 cooking gas cylinders loaded in two trucks parked near the SLN Gas Agency godown at Nayanahalli got fire accidentally at around 1.45 a.m. and they started to burst. The impact of the sound was such that it was heard even at areas located 10 km away from the venue.
“Nine fire tenders deployed for extinguishing fire. Some were retained on the spot as a precautionary measure. Representatives of HP gas company have visited the spot and inspected. We are expecting ONGC experts to ascertain the cause for the fire,” said G. Krishnamurthy, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chintamani.
Though there are two schools, including one residential school in the vicinity, most of the students were not there as they went to their homes on Christmas holiday.
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Some of the students and the staff remained in the school and the occupants of a nearby house ran out for safety.
The splinters of cylinders were strewn in the nearby fields and on the road. A couple of trees nearby were burnt due to the fire created by explosion.
Though the exact cause for the fire yet to be known, Fire and Emergency Services authorities suspected batteries in the trucks ignited the fire. Gas agency proprietor Srinivas has said the incident resulted in loss of several lakh rupees.
Electricity supply in the area was disconnected as a precautionary measure.