Bihar: 6 die in gas cylinder blast in Purnia

Patna: Six people, including five minor children were killed while one other received serious burn injuries when an LPG cylinder caught fire due to leakage of gas and subsequently exploded in the kitchen of a house in Purnia district, police said on Tuesday.
The injured, Pintu Yadav (20), has been admitted to a private hospital at Bhagalpur where his condition is stated to be critical. While three of the deceased belonged to a particular family, the two others were their close relatives. A mother and her six-year-old daughter were among those killed in the incident.
The incident took place at Gwalgaon village under Baisi police station around 8pm on Monday. Pintu Yadav entered the kitchen and lit the fire with a lighter to prepare a meal. As gas was leaking from the connecting pipe, fire engulfed the kitchen causing severe burn injuries to him.
When Pintu shouted for help, his six year-old niece Priti Kumari rushed to the spot. She also received burn injuries in the process. Later, Priti’s mother Baby Kumari (26), Gagan Kumar (7), Anand (4), Rupi (6) and Priyanshu (3) suffered burn injuries in the incident.
While Priti died on the spot, her mother Baby and four other children succumbed to their injuries during treatment at Purnia sadar hospital. The mukhiya of Khapra panchayat Arun Kumar Yadav said that the victims were rushed to the Sadar hospital by some local residents for treatment.
The mukhiya said that Baby along with her minor daughter Priti had come to her parents’ house recently. Her husband, Pappu Yadav, is a resident of Harerampur village in Purnia district. The family members have already been informed about the tragic incident, he told TOI over the phone on Tuesday.
The station house officer of Baisi police station Sunil Kumar Mandal confirmed the death of six people in the incident and said that the bodies of the deceased were handed over to the family after post mortem. The house in which the incident occurred belonged to Vishal Yadav alias Victor Yadav.
Purnia district magistrate Rahul Kumar later announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs.4 lakh to the two families, who lost their six members in the tragedy. He also assured the family that the injured would be provided better treatment under the supervision of the district authorities.