Oxygen cylinder blast in Okhla leaves one dead, several injured

One person was killed and several others injured after an oxygen cylinder exploded in Delhi’s Okhla area on Wednesday. The blast reportedly occurred while cylinders were being unloaded from a vehicle. Fire and police teams rushed to the spot following the incident

New Delhi: At least one person died and several others were injured after an oxygen cylinder exploded in South-East Delhi’s Okhla area on Wednesday, officials said.

The blast was reported around 11 a.m., following which three fire tenders and a multi-casualty response vehicle were sent to the spot.

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Speaking to IANS, an eyewitness said the incident occurred while the cylinders were being unloaded from a vehicle.

Another eyewitness, Saud, said, “The incident took place around 10 a.m. One person died on the spot. We even saw his body. Around three to four people are injured.”

Kurshid Alam said, “These are oxygen cylinders that were used with cutter machines in the factory here. The blast took place while the cylinders were being unloaded.”

According to Alam, people within a 100-metre radius of the spot also sustained injuries.

In a similar incident last month, at least three people were killed after a CNG cylinder of a truck exploded at a fuel station near Tikri Kalan Metro Station in Outer Delhi. Six people were injured in the incident, the Delhi Police said.

One of the deceased was identified as 25-year-old Manish, a resident of West Delhi’s Baba Haridas Colony. According to officials, he was filling gas into the CNG cylinder of the truck.

The other deceased was identified as 32-year-old Sunny Nizampur. The identity of the third person killed in the incident was unknown at the time of the report. However, police confirmed that all three were employees of the CNG pump.

According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), the six injured persons were standing nearby when the explosion occurred and sustained injuries.

The DFS said it received a call about the blast at around 3:37 p.m., following which six fire tenders were dispatched to the site.

As soon as information about the blast was received, large teams of police and fire personnel were deployed in the area. The injured were subsequently shifted to the nearest hospital