Bhubaneswar: Panic gripped among people when a major explosion and fire broke out in a petrol pump near Governor House in Odisha’s capital in broad daylight. Eight persons have been injured in the blast.
The incident took place around 1 pm when the fire broke out inside a gas chamber.
Sources said, the fire suddenly broke out inside the underground gas chamber when petrol was being transferred from an LPG truck. The gas chamber exploded.
Several people were injured in the blast, of them two have sustained critical burn injuries and efforts are being made to shift them to SCB Medical Hospital in Cuttack.
The powerful explosion ripped apart portions of the roof of the petrol pump and destroyed a few vehicles present there.
The intensity of the blast was so high that could be heard from a distance of 2km radius.
The onlookers sad there was a huge noise and ripples were felt in the nearby area. Eight fire extinguisher vehicles have been pressed into service.
The roads leading to the petrol pump have been sealed. The reason of the blast is yet to be ascertained.
Ms Kalinga