An LPG cylinder blast on Tuesday morning flattened a single-storey house in north Delhi’s Mukundpur area, injuring 11 people and leaving a woman in critical condition, officials said. Rescue teams are continuing search-and-rescue operations and clearing debris amid local efforts to pull out survivors.

Blast and collapse

The explosion occurred around 9:37 am in Gali No. 1, Ishu Vihar, Mukundpur-II, close to a cremation ground, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said. A distress call reporting a blast and a collapsed structure prompted an immediate response by DFS and police units, who feared people might be trapped under rubble.

“Information was received that a blast had taken place and a building had collapsed, trapping people inside. Rescue teams were immediately rushed to the spot and search and rescue operations were launched,” a DFS official said.

Initial rescues

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Hareshwar Swami said police and emergency responders, along with locals, pulled 11 people out of the wreckage. Four to five injured persons were first evacuated by nearby residents and patrol personnel and moved to a local hospital. One woman sustained severe burn injuries and was reported to be in critical condition late Tuesday morning.

Prima facie cause

Preliminary inquiries suggest the explosion may have occurred while gas was being transferred from a larger cylinder to a smaller one, Swami added. Several LPG cylinders were recovered at the site. He also said that a utensil-colouring unit appeared to be operating from the house, which officials are probing as a possible factor in the blast.

Ground response and eyewitness accounts

Residents described loud, sudden blast-like sound that sent up a cloud of dust. “The moment I heard a loud blast-like sound, the first thing that came to my mind was that a gas cylinder had exploded. We immediately ran towards the spot and found that a house had collapsed,” an eyewitness told reporters at the scene. Neighbours and shopkeepers joined the rescue effort, using tools and bare hands to clear debris before emergency teams arrived.

Another local, who helped pull victims out, said he suffered minor injuries but continued to assist until officials took over. Authorities said clearing operations were ongoing to ensure no one remained trapped inside the 250-square-yard single-storey structure.

Hospital care and condition

Injured residents were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officials did not immediately disclose the names or ages of those hurt, citing ongoing medical assessments. A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed receiving multiple patients from the Mukundpur incident, including the woman with critical burns, and said specialists had been mobilised for burn care and trauma management.

Separate blast in East Delhi

Police said a separate cylinder blast in Shahdara’s Ajit Nagar injured four people around 1:30 pm on Tuesday. Shahdara Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajendra Prasad Meena said the explosion at a house in Gandhi Nagar likely stemmed from a leaking gas cylinder pipe. Head Constable Rahul and Constable Kuldeep rescued a woman, her husband and children from the first floor and shifted them to hospital. Both the Shahdara and Mukundpur incidents are under investigation.

Investigations under way

Delhi police and fire officials are jointly probing the Mukundpur explosion. Investigators are collecting the recovered cylinders and examining whether illegal industrial activity — the reported utensil-colouring unit — or unsafe gas-handling practices contributed to the blast. Officials said they would also review whether any unauthorised storage of cylinders or non-compliance with safety norms occurred at the site.

Public safety concerns

The twin incidents have renewed concerns about unsafe handling of LPG cylinders and clandestine small-scale manufacturing units operating from residential buildings in multiple parts of the city. Local residents urged stricter enforcement and periodic safety inspections, particularly in congested neighbourhoods where homes double as workspaces.

What’s next

Police said further details, including formal cause and casualty list, will be released after forensic work and statements from survivors. Meanwhile, authorities have appealed to residents in the area to stay clear of the site to allow uninterrupted rescue and investigation work.

Two children among the injured as flames from a traditional stove ignite accumulated gas in Paipkhara area.

A late-night fire in the Paipkhara area has left four members of a family, including two young children, with severe burn injuries after a calf accidentally knocked over a gas cylinder connection, causing a major leak.

The incident, which took place late Tuesday evening, completely gutted the house belonging to Yashodanand Shukla. According to initial reports from local authorities, the family was sitting in the courtyard having their dinner when the accident occurred inside an adjoining room.

How the Leak Happened

Officials said a calf had been tied up inside the same room where the household LPG cylinder was kept. Preliminary investigation suggests the cylinder’s regulator was left open, and when the calf moved and bumped into the setup, the connecting pipe came off. This led to a rapid, unchecked build-up of cooking gas inside the confined space.

The family, unaware of the leak, continued with their evening routine.

Family Unaware Until Too Late

As the gas spread from the room into the open courtyard, it came into contact with the flame of a traditional chulha (mud stove) where food was being prepared. Sources familiar with the matter said the fire flashed over almost instantly.

"Within seconds, the flames turned severe. The entire house was engulfed," a neighbour recalled, adding that by the time people rushed out, the situation was already out of control.The four victims have been identified as Yashodanand Shukla, Indrakali Shukla, and two children, Ayushman and Divyansh. All of them sustained serious burns and were rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital by locals and police personnel.

Police Investigation Underway

CSP Ritu Upadhyay confirmed that a preliminary inquiry points to the gas leak as the primary cause of the blaze. “The fire spread with such intensity that the family, seated in the courtyard, barely had any time to react or escape,” an official statement noted.

Local authorities have registered the case and are investigating the exact sequence of events. No formal negligence has been established yet, but officials have begun appealing to residents in the area to exercise greater caution when handling LPG cylinders.

Ground-Level Impact

The fire not only caused severe physical injuries but also destroyed almost all household belongings. Neighbours made frantic efforts to douse the flames with buckets of water and blankets, but the fire had already consumed most of the structure by the time fire tenders arrived.

The condition of the two children is said to be critical, though hospital authorities have not yet released an official bulletin.

Appeal for Safety Awareness

Following the incident, local police have urged residents to ensure regulators are turned off when the cylinder is not in use and to keep animals or children away from LPG connections. This is the second such fire-related accident reported in the Rewa district this month, raising fresh concerns about household safety practices. Officials say a detailed report will be submitted to the district administration by Friday.