Five die in Salem LPG cylinder blast

SALEM: Five people died and 13 others sustained injuries in an LPG cylinder blast in a house in Tamil Nadu’s Salem city on Tuesday morning.
The deceased have been identified as S Rajalakshmi, 80, of Pandurangan Koil Street in Karungalpatty, Karthik Ram, 18, Padmanabhan, 49, Devi, 39 and Ellammal, 90.
The injured have been admitted to Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital (SGMKMCH).
According to the Shevapet police, a total of four families were residing in a two-storey building at Karungalpatty. An official said Rajalakshmi ignited a gas stove to prepare tea in the morning. The cylinder exploded. “The two-storey building collapsed in the impact,” the official said, adding that other three-houses in the same line also collapsed in the incident.
People got trapped under the debris. Fire and rescue services personnel from the Shevapet fire service station rushed to the spot with the police.
“Rajalakshmi, who sustained grave injuries, died while being taken to SGMKMCH,” the official added. The bodies of four others were retrieved from the debris in the afternoon.
The injured included G Sutharsan, 10, S Ganesan, 37, I Gopal, 70, M Nagasudha, 30, R Dhanalakshmi, 64, P Murugan, 46, R Mohanraj, 40, P Logesh, 18, G Venkatrajan, 62, V Indira, 54, S Gopi, 58, M Usharani, 40.
The police registered a case.