Flames rising from the exploding cylinder on NH 31.
– Photo: Amar Ujala
listen to the news
listen to the news
In Narayanpur, adjacent to the border of Khagaria district on National Highway 31, an area of two kilometers was shaken by 200 consecutive explosions late on Wednesday night. Amidst the light mist, the strong flames of the fire started appearing for several kilometers and there were loud explosions along with the flames. After a fire broke out in a truck loaded with cooking gas cylinders, people were horrified by the explosion of about 200 cylinders out of 250 loaded in it one by one. The accident took place 100 meters away from the petrol pump at Narayanpur under Bhawanipur police station area of Bhagalpur district. The flames did not reach the petrol pump, although pieces of cylinders continued to fall for a long time. The truck driver was burnt to ashes in the incident.
Movement from many districts affected for hours
The truck was going towards Khagaria via NH 31 carrying cylinders from Bhagalpur. There was a cylinder load of Bharat Gas in it. The engine of the truck caught fire at around 1 am. The driver tried to handle, but did not jump himself. The fire was so strong that immediately it caught fire in the cylinder loaded behind and in no time it burst into flames accompanied by explosions. By about 3 o’clock, explosions were heard two to two and a half kilometers away, while flames were visible for about one kilometer. The pieces of the cylinder kept flying up to 500 meters away. Many pieces also reached the petrol pump, although the fire did not reach. Local Subhash Yadav’s tabela built on the NH bank was reduced to ashes in the flames. A calf was also burnt to death. Traffic on the NH was disrupted for several hours after the incident. The direct connectivity of Purnia, Katihar, Bhagalpur with Khagaria, Begusarai, Patna etc. remained disrupted for hours due to this accident.
Relatives crying by adding six bones of the driver
After the accident, fire tenders from Khagaria and Bhagalpur districts reached, but finally the ashes of the burning truck were burnt. Everything was destroyed even before they reached. Very few pieces of the truck were left. Driver Mantu, a resident of Shankarpur in Munger, was seen burning in the truck by people from a distance. After the fire subsided, it was seen that the driver was reduced to ashes. On the information of the incident, the family members who reached from Munger collected six bones of the driver after two hours of hard work. The relatives of the driver kept searching for the bones while crying.
Expansion
In Narayanpur, adjacent to the border of Khagaria district on National Highway 31, an area of two kilometers was shaken by 200 consecutive explosions late on Wednesday night. Amidst the light mist, the strong flames of the fire started appearing for several kilometers and there were loud explosions along with the flames. After a fire broke out in a truck loaded with cooking gas cylinders, people were horrified by the explosion of about 200 cylinders out of 250 loaded in it one by one. The accident took place 100 meters away from the petrol pump at Narayanpur under Bhawanipur police station area of Bhagalpur district. The flames did not reach the petrol pump, although pieces of cylinders continued to fall for a long time. The truck driver was burnt to ashes in the incident.