Cylinder blast in Budail, Chandigarh

Chandigarh: Panic gripped Burail village on Monday when a series of LPG cylinder explosions at a house left several people injured and caused widespread damage.According to initial information, at least three cylinders exploded one after the other inside the house, causing massive destruction. Eyewitnesses said the first explosion sent shockwaves through the neighborhood and two more explosions occurred within minutes, forcing residents to run out of their homes in fear.Locals claimed that several LPG cylinders were kept inside the premises, raising suspicion of illegal storage or black market sales. Officials are investigating whether a gas leak might have caused the blast.The impact was severe, reducing houses to debris and damaging nearby structures, with walls of nearby buildings being reported cracked and window panes broken.Emergency teams of Chandigarh Police, Fire Department and CRPF Reached the spot and started rescue operations. Many people trapped under the debris were pulled out and taken to hospitals. Officials said several people were injured, some of them in critical condition.Police have cordoned off the area and launched a detailed investigation to determine how such a large number of cylinders were stored and whether any illegal LPG trade was being carried out from the premises.