Four children were charred to death while around 30 people sustained burn injuries when an lPG cylinder burst at New Area locality at Dehri-on-Sone in Rohtas district of Bihar on Sunday.
Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj told The Pioneer that the family members of Santosh Chandravanshi threw out a gas cylinder the road after they found leakage in it. Due to the impact of the fall and sparking electric wire, the cylinder caught fire and children playing around the spot fell to the victims of
the burning cylinder which turned into a huge fireball within minutes.
All victims were immediately rushed to a local hospital. Critical victims were shifted to Institute of Medical Sciences in Banaras. At least 12 burn victims were undergoing treatment at various local hospitals.
Sources said that the casualty might go up as the condition of a few children was still serious. Many children were trapped into the raging flames of the burning cylinder as they came close to it due to their sheer curiosity.
A large number of onlookers surrounded the spot, hampering the relief and rescue operation in the beginning. Para medical staff had a tough time too in shifting the injured victims to the hospital, sources added.