Rescuers injured while saving LPG fire victims

Kolkata: Most of the injured in the Garden Reach LPG cylinder explosion received burn injuries, said joint CP (headquarters) Santosh Pandey, adding that no one was affected by fumes.Twenty of the injured are receiving treatment at SSKM Hospital; the two injured children are in CMRI Hospital.Director-general (fire services) Ranveer Kumar said the fire was controlled at 6.25pm. Two fire engines, along with police and the disaster management group (DMG), were deployed for rescue operations.“We were offering namaz when we realised a fire had broken out in the ground-floor flat,” said Kashim Jafer, a resident of the area. “We initially thought it was a short circuit. Several of us rushed to try and douse the fire and rescue the wounded. My cousin Aftab Alam (47) was also helping out. But suddenly, while dousing the fire, huge flames engulfed the area. That is the reason why so many people received injuries. I had to rush Aftab to hospital. This has left us all shocked. Everyone is praying for the injured,” Kashim added. Several other rescuers were also injured.Mayor Firhad Hakim rushed to SSKM Hospital to talk to the injured and their family members. The disaster management beds at IPGMER’s trauma care centre were opened up for 16 of the victims; four were admitted in the burns unit. The hospital administration called in senior faculty members to tend to the injured. Sources said the injuries varied from light burns to 50% to 60% burns. “So far, three have been found to be in critical condition,” said a hospital official.