Two injured in LPG cylinder explosion

KARACHI:

A fire broke out after a loud explosion at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder decanting shop in Sarjani Town. Shop owner Asif and a rickshaw driver Ali Gohar were injured in the incident.

A number of cylinders, stored in the shop, caught fire and exploded. A vulcanizing shop, adjacent to the cylinder shop as well as two motorcycles and a rickshaw also caught fire.

A citizen standing on his two-wheeler on the other side of the road received minor injuries when a cylinder fell on him. A Green Line BRT bus was also seen passing on its elevated route with flames raging below on the road.

As soon as the explosion was reported, the police and rescue teams reached the spot and called the fire brigade. Three fire tenders rushed to the spot and doused the flames in a short time.

As per the firebrigade officials, decanting - the transfer of LPG from one cylinder to another ­ is illegal and violators can face fine or imprisonment. However, due to absence of supply of natural gas, the demand for LPG has increased to an extent that the authorities have turned a blind eye to decanting business.

They however insisted that people in and around the decanting shop should avoid lighting matches lest leaked gas might ignite and cause an explosion.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2023.