Two women were charred to death and a shopkeeper was injured after two gas cylinders exploded in an “illegal” refilling shop in North-east Delhi’s Karawal Nagar area this morning.
The deceased women were mother and daughter and they died on the spot, a fire department official said.
Their completely burnt bodies were later recovered after the fire was doused by the fire fighters.
The incident took place at 10.45 am when the shopkeeper was refilling two small LPG cylinders from a regular size LPG cylinder.
The deceased went to purchase a gas cylinder from the shop when the accident occurred, police said.
The deceased have been identified as 62-year-old Rambiri and her 38-year-old daughter Hemlata.
They lived near the shop, police said.
The shopkeeper, Rajesh (42), who sustained injuries in the incident, was rushed to the GTB hospital.
Chief fire officer Atul Garg said that two fire tenders were rushed to the spot after the Fire Department received a call about the cylinder explosion at around 10.50 am.
“The fire tender doused the flame and the bodies were found completely burnt. Two cylinders were exploded while one of them was being refilled. The exact reason for fire is yet not clear,” a fire official said.
“We are investigating how the cylinder caught fire,” said Garg. The bodies have been sent for post mortem and further investigation was underway, he added.