Bengaluru, 1 May

Two people died, and three others were critically injured in an LPG cylinder explosion early Thursday morning in Adakamaranahalli, near Nelamangala.

Nagraj, 50, was living with his wife Lakshmidevi, 35, and their sons Basanagowda, 19, and Abhishek Gowda, 18, in the house for the past two years. According to the police, Nagraj had lit an oil lamp for morning prayers before leaving for work. Meanwhile, his younger son Abhishek attempted to change an empty gas cylinder in the kitchen. The regulator was reportedly not fitted properly, causing a gas leak that went unnoticed. Within minutes, the gas ignited, setting off a fire that completely destroyed the house. Nagraj, trapped inside, died unable to escape. Srinivas, 50, a neighbour who rushed to help, also died in the fire.

Lakshmidevi, both sons, and a neighbouring resident named Shivashankar sustained serious burn injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

Fire and emergency personnel reached the spot soon after and doused the flames. The Madanayakanahalli Police have registered a case and are investigating. Initial findings confirm that improper handling of the gas cylinder caused the fire.