Nine people were injured when a gas cylinder exploded in a chawl in Kandivali on Wednesday night. The injured were admitted to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali.
While four were treated and discharged, the remaining five are stable and undergoing treatment.
The incident occurred at Sandip Kanade’s house at Nana Gaware Chawl in Kandivali (East) around 11 p.m. According to the police, there was a leak when Rajesh Dubale (40) was fixing the regulator on the cylinder in the house.
The police said the gas spread to a small lamp burning in the prayer area and it led to the blast. Bhagwat Vyavhare, sub-inspector at Samta Nagar police station, said, “It appears to be an accident. No complaint has been filed so far.”
Five adults and the one-year-old son of Mr. Kanade were present in the house when the cylinder exploded. A few boys who were sitting outside the house on a bench also suffered injuries.
Close shave: Nishant Panchal returns home after receiving treatment for injuries sustained during a cylinder blast at Nana Gaware Chawl (right) in Kandivali (East) on Thursday. | Photo Credit: Vijay Bate.
Gaurav Gawande, Mr. Kanade’s brother-in-law, said, “Just before the blast, my sister realised that there was something amiss and she picked up the baby and ran out. Both of them are fine. My brother-in-law, his mother, nephew and a neighbour are still in the hospital. The others who have been discharged are who were those in the vicinity. The fire destroyed the ground floor of the two-storey house. The refrigerator also partially melted in the blaze.”
Mehul Surati (30), Jayesh Sutar (30), Nishant Panchal (10) and Devyani Surati (46) were discharged from hospital. Mr. Kanade (28), who suffered 30% burns; his mother Sharda Kanade (56), 35%-45% burns; his nephew Omkar Chike (18), 40%-45% burns; Divesh Patel (22), 15%-16% burns; and Mr. Dubale (40), 30% burns, are still under observation at the hospital.