Bengaluru: Nine migrant workers from West Bengal were injured, six of them critically, in a suspected LPG cylinder explosion at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Bengaluru’s Bommasandra area on Thursday morning, police said. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, which has raised fresh concerns over safety standards in labour accommodations.
Blast rocks worker accommodation
According to police, the explosion occurred at around 6.30 am on the second floor of a three-storey building in Bommasandra. Preliminary findings suggest an LPG gas leak in the kitchen led to the blast.
The force of the explosion shattered windows and doors on the floor and also caused damage to a neighbouring building. All nine occupants were staying in a single-bedroom unit with a small kitchen and bathroom.
Six workers suffer critical burns
Police said the injured workers are all natives of West Bengal. While one worker escaped by jumping from the building and suffered a fracture, the remaining victims sustained severe burn injuries, with several suffering burns over a significant portion of their bodies. Doctors treating the injured said all of them are currently stable despite the seriousness of their injuries.
Probe into safety violations
Joint Commissioner of Police (East) Ramesh Banoth, after inspecting the site, said investigators are examining multiple safety violations, including how nine workers were allowed to stay in a single room. Officials suspect the workers had kept all windows shut overnight to prevent mosquitoes, allowing leaked gas to accumulate before igniting.
Police are also verifying the quality of the LPG cylinder, regulator and connecting pipes, besides examining the responsibilities of the building owner and the PG operator. A detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion.