Man dead, 2 kin injured as LPG leak triggers blast in Pune

PUNE: A 35-year-old man was killed and two of his elderly family members sustained serious injuries after an LPG leak caused an explosion and triggered a fire in a residential structure in Pune's Wagholi area on Friday morning, officials said.The incident occurred around 9.15 am in the two-storey building in Khandwe Nagar, they said.Local residents informed the fire brigade about the suspected cylinder explosion and fire, following which fire tenders from Kharadi, Dhanori and Yerawada fire stations were rushed to the spot, the officials said.By the time the firefighters arrived at the site, the blaze had engulfed a portion of the first floor of the building. They extinguished the blaze using hose reels and shifted the injured to a hospital, according to them.Pandurang Vishnu Gitte (35) was killed, while Vishnu Munjaji Gitte (82) and Vrindavini Vishnu Gitte (60) suffered serious burn injuries in the incident."The explosion occurred when a new LPG cylinder was being connected after the previous one had run out of gas. But leakage of gas led to its accumulation inside the house, resulting in a powerful blast," a fire brigade official said.The resulting fire damaged the hall, furniture, television, electrical wiring, bathroom fittings and a geyser. Household items in the kitchen, including a refrigerator and furniture, were partially damaged, he said.