Family evacuates safely after fire, labourer dies in cylinder blast while saving belongings

Nagpur: A 46-year-old labourer died after an LPG cylinder exploded when he was trying to retrieve his family's belongings following a fire at his home at Gandhinagar in Kamptee on Sunday. Later in the day, a cylinder exploded at a vada pav shop in Gittikhadan following a gas leak, causing losses worth lakhs.The deceased, Atul Pantawane lived with his wife, elderly mother and three children. According to police sources, the fire broke out allegedly due to a leaking LPG pipe that had become old and worn out.The flames spread rapidly, but the family managed to escape to safety. Pantawane returned in an attempt to salvage household items but was charred to death in the cylinder explosion. A neighbour, who is also Pantawane's cousin, sustained minor injuries while trying to assist the family. Fire brigade personnel reportedly struggled to contain the blaze due to the intensity of the flames and cramped area of the house. An accident death was registered at Old Kamptee police station. "A detailed inspection will be conducted to ascertain the exact cause and identify any safety lapses," a police source said. Revenue minister and Kamptee MLA Chandrashekhar Bawankule expressed condolences. "I have directed the local administration to conduct a thorough inquiry," he said in a social media post.In the second incident reported at the vada pav shop on Gittikhadan-Borgaon road, local sources said that gas had been leaking from the cylinder for some time and the fire may have been ignited by an electric spark. Officials are yet to confirm the exact cause. The blast resulted in financial losses estimated between Rs10 lakh and Rs12 lakh.