KATHMANDU, MARCH 22
At least six people were injured after a cooking gas (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder exploded at an eatery in a four-storey building in Sirjananagar, Bhaktapur, last evening.
Police said that excessive heat in the stove might have caused the explosion at the eatery. Metropolitan Police Range, Bhaktapur, however, also said that much damage was done by the fire after the explosion rather than the explosion itself.
Among the injured are the operator of eatery Tikaram Basnet, 39, of Sailing Rural Municipality, Dolakaha, currently residing in Suryabinayak-4, Dadhikot, his relatives Rajendra Karki, 33, of the same place currently residing in Koteshwor, and Gita Karki, 39. Other three, who sustained injuries, were the customers Aditya Subedi, 19, of Bishwoshanti Rural Municipality-2, Jhapa, currently staying in Sallaghari, Bhaktapur, Bikash Paudel, and Himangshu Thapa, 16, of Suryabinayak, Bhaktapur.
The injured have been referred to Kirtipur Cleft and Burn Centre after primary treatment at Iwamura Hospital, Sallaghari, said police.
Cases LPG cylinder explosion are increasing in urban areas of the country, of late.
Lack of timely maintenance of the cylinders, lack of open spaces, exposure of cylinders to excessive heat and people's negligence in handling the LPG cylinders are the major reasons behind such accidents, said police.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 23, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
