Panic gripped the Ram Nagar area of Mira Road after a mysterious fire broke out in LPG cylinder laden trucks which were parked in an open ground amidst a cluster of residential buildings at around 2 am on Monday.
Deafening explosions awoke residents after seven cylinders went up in flames, as many of them crashed as far as 500 meters away from the accident site.
While three people were injured in the incident, both the trucks loaded with LPG cylinders of HP and Bharat Gas company were reduced to a heap of mangled remains due to the massive fire coupled by multiple explosions.
“We received the call at around 2 am following which our teams reached the spot. It took around two hours for our 53 fire fighters and to douse the fire following another couple of hours to carry out the cooling operations. While filled LPG cylinders were kept on one truck, the other carried empty ones. A pick-up van was also damaged in the fire. Process was underway to issue notices to the concerned gas agency,” said chief fire officer Prakash Borade.
“We have booked the truck driver, owner of the gas distributing agency and the plot owner for negligent conduct with respect to fire and combustible matter while endangering human life, or to be likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person,” said Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Hazare.
Residents of the locality have blamed the civic administration for turning a blind eye to their complaints in context to the parking of trucks loaded with gas filled cylinders sans any security or safety measures in the open ground which is located amidst a cluster of residential buildings.
It has also been alleged that junkies frequented the area in the night, thus enhancing risk of such incidents which indicate a mischievous act. Meanwhile the Kashimira police have registered a case under sections 285, 286, 337 338, 427 of the IPC against the truck driver, owner of the gas distributing agency and the plot owner. While none of them were arrested, further investigations were underway.
