The numbing experience

BHUBANESWAR: It was a terrifying experience for people who had gone to Raj Bhawan Square filling centre. Most were not just numb from the shock but also felt they had a brush with death.“I went to refill petrol in my two-wheeler and I was standing second in a queue near one of the fuel dispensers when I heard a powerful explosion and in seconds, the place was covered with dust,” said a city-based businessman, Sandeep Sahoo.

Sahoo panicked, left his two-wheeler behind and tumbled a few times before managing to run towards Raj Bhavan Square. “I sustained bruises in my left leg after I tripped two to three times while running. My left shoe slipped but I ran for my life,” he said.

Suman Barik, a resident of MLA Colony in Unit-IV, had a similar tale to tell. Barik was there to refill his car and while leaving, he saw a friend. He asked him to sit in his car and parked the vehicle near the exit point of the fuel station. What followed left him traumatised. 

“Such was the noise that I became unconscious for a few minutes. Chunks of the roof fell on my car and after gaining consciousness, I and my friend ran from the spot,” he said. When Barik and his friend returned, they found their cars were completely damaged in the incident. 

The filling station is located across Raj Bhawan. Such was the impact of the explosion that glass panels of Government quarters and flats in 200-metre radius were shattered. Two-wheelers and cars which were at the petrol pump sustained damage. There was chaos at the spot as people at the petrol pump tried to escape the spot.

Who was at the spot?
Bhubaneswar: What triggered the dangerous explosion at the Raj Bhawan Square Filling Centre? There was none to throw light on the cause as investigation has been ordered into the mishap. The explosion occurred at the underground LPG storage unit leaving at least 10 persons injured.  Sources said, there was safety-related inspection at the Indian Oil Corporation-owned service station. Such works are carried out either by the corporation or agencies contracted by it. Unconfirmed sources said, four persons were engaged in the work at the petrol pump. However, neither IOCL nor the service station officials were forthcoming on the matter as a result of which, it was difficult to ascertain how many people were present near the storage unit. Police and forensic teams were unable to make any progress as the premises still had petrol, diesel storage units and they were waiting for IOC to evacuate the stock as well as gas so that investigation can start. “We have asked IOCL to clear site of all stock so that police investigation can begin. Even fatalities cannot be ruled out since the debris have not been scanned yet,” said a police officer.