Massive kerosene explosion kills 13 in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: Thirteen people, including three women, were killed and four injured after massive kerosene explosion in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday evening.

Villagers claim death toll is 18. The incident took place at Bargi village – 82 km from the district headquarters and 300 km from the state capital. Bargi is located on NH – 347 within Harrai Nagar panchayat.

More than 50 villagers had queued up at the Bargi's fair price shop to collect kerosene and other food items when the explosion took place at around 6 pm.
“It was a jam-packed room with at least 25 people inside while some others were in queue outside,” said deputy inspector general (DIG) G K Pathak.

The cause of the incident could not be ascertained yet. “It could be anything from a short circuit to cigarette. I have alerted electricity department and forensic officials to investigate in detail,” Pathak said. The number of casualties to my information is 14 including three people, he said.
District collector J K Jain said an inquiry has been ordered. “Compensation of Rs 4 lakh has been announced for family members of the deceased,” Jain said. “There was around 100 litres of kerosene inside the drum at that time which was half of its capacity. More people would have died if the drum was full,” said the collector. Sources, however, say that there were more drums filled with 300 litres of kerosene inside the room other than the one that had 100 litres for distribution.
Only two people could run out of the room when the drum kerosene exploded.
Chhindwara SP Gaurav Tiwari told TOI that immediate steps were taken to deal with the situation. He said 13 people died in the mishap while villagers say at least five more were charred. Search operation was on for missing ones.
Minister in charge of the district Gauri Shankar Bisen has ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. Police said the death toll may rise.