2 girls killed, 2 injured in cylinder blast at Cheeka in Kaithal

Two girls of a family died and two others sustained injuries after an LPG cylinder exploded at a house in Cheeka town of Kaithal district on Monday. The blast occurred around 4 am, causing extensive damage to the building, with cracks forming in nearby houses as well. The deceased have been identified as Komal (19) and Surbhi (2), while the injured are Sumita and Sapna, who are undergoing treatment in a hospital.

They were initially taken to the government hospital in Guhla, but due to the severity of their injuries, were later referred to the government hospital in Patiala. The two girls succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital.

The incident took place in Ward number 3, where two brothers, Balwan Singh and Baljeet Singh lived with their families. The explosion occurred in one section of the house, causing an entire wall to collapse and leaving the roof unstable. At the time of the blast, Balwan's wife, Sumita, was asleep in a room with her daughter Komal, daughter-in-law Sapna and granddaughter Surbhi.

Neighbours said the whole area shook up due to the impact of the explosion. Windows shattered and walls were damaged in adjacent houses too. They said the blast was so loud they thought it had occurred in their own house. Following the explosion, Guhla DSP Kuldeep Singh Beniwal and other police officials, along with with fire tenders and FSL team, arrived at the scene and initiated rescue operations. However, local residents had already started rescuing those who were trapped in the debris. Nearby houses were evacuated as a safety measure.

Guhla MLA Devender Hans also arrived at the scene to assess the situation. He accused the administration for delay in extending support. He assured the family members of all kinds of assistance and economic help. “The authorities should have reached here earlier, but they did not. All the residents of the area stand by the family in the time of grief. I will try to provide the family all help, including compensation as per the laws,” said Hans to mediapersons. Meanwhile, BJP leader and former MLA Kulwant Bazigar also assured the family members of providing all help. “I will raise the issue with the CM and will try our best to provide all help to the victims,” said Bazigar.

Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kalia said, “The initial investigation indicates that a cylinder exploded in the house. The police and the FSL teams are investigating the case.”