Three Killed, Three Injured in CNG Tank Explosion at Tikri Kalan Pump
Three staff members were killed and three other people were injured on Wednesday afternoon when a truck’s gas tank exploded during refilling at an Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) CNG pump in Tikri Kalan on Delhi’s northwestern fringes, police said.
The deceased were identified as Manish Prasad, 26, Sunny, 30, and Brahmjeet, 34, all of whom worked at the station. The injured were identified as Surjeet, 32, Sanjay, 37, and Vipin, 30, the driver of the truck. The blast occurred around 3:20pm at the station located on Rohtak Road near the Tikri Kalan Metro station.
According to Delhi Police, the explosion charred two trucks, a Maruti Eeco van, a two-wheeler, and pump equipment. Manish and Sunny were taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where they were declared dead, while Brahmjeet succumbed to his injuries at Jeevan Jyoti Hospital. The injured persons were admitted to CD Global Hospital in Mundka.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Vikram Singh stated that police received a call regarding the incident around 3:20pm. A Delhi Fire Services (DFS) spokesperson said six fire tenders were deployed for rescue operations, which faced complications due to potential gas leaks. The area was evacuated to allow emergency personnel to carry out operations.
Investigators said the exact trigger of the explosion remains under investigation. Police and IGL officials inspected the site to ascertain whether the leak originated from the truck's gas tank or the station's pipeline. Police confirmed that a case of negligence under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita would be registered.
A senior IGL officer stated that the CNG station is owned and operated by Aadhya Energies, which is owned by Himanshu Singh. Authorities have contacted the dealer for an inquiry into the incident.
Eyewitnesses reported that four or five trucks were present at the station when the blast occurred, which hurled the staff member attending the vehicle into a corner. Family members of the victims alleged that the injured were left without immediate assistance for more than 30 minutes following the explosion, while police and fire officials maintained that emergency units responded within 15 to 20 minutes of the call.
