In a ghastly incident, one woman was killed and 14 persons were injured when a bullet tanker filled with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) overturned and exploded on National Highway 66, in Bargi village of Kumta taluk in Uttara Kannada district on Tuesday.
The deceased was Nagaveni Patagar (84). She sustained serious injuries when the house where she was staying was caught flames. She died on way to hospital. The tanker driver Amit Kumar’s legs have been fractured. Local residents Jayashri Patagar, Srikant Patagar, Bharat, Dhiraj, Subraya Patagar, Shakila Harikant, Niranjan, Navya, Ganapati Harikant, Prema, Nranjan Harikant, Devu Patagar, and Nirmala Patagar have been injured in the accident.
Those who have sustained 80 per cent burns have been admitted to private hospitals in Manipal and Mangaluru. The remaining patients are undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital in Kumta.
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According to sources, the accident occurred at around 5.30 a.m. at Bargi village as the tanker driver lost control over his vehicle and fell into a gorge. The gas spread immediately carrying flames with it. Nearly nine houses in the vicinity of the accident spot caught fire. When Ms. Jayashri’s house caught fire, the LPG cylinder inside also exploded, injuring five persons. The cattle shed of Ravi Naik was reduced to ashes and a cow died. The flames have also damaged the vehicles, vegetation in the surroundings and inured several domestic animals. Traffic movement on the national highway was affected for several hours. Fire and Emergency Services squads from Kumta helped extinguish the fire. Senior police officials visited the spot.