Two people, including an 18-year-old woman and a five-year-old boy, were killed and 15 others suffered burn injuries after leaking gas from an LPG cylinder caught fire inside a house in Safiyabad village in Bihar’s Gopalganj district on Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred in the area under Baikunthpur police station. The deceased were identified as Mishti Kumari, 18, daughter of Kanchan Sharma, and Ankush Kumar, 5, son of Prem Nath Manjhi.
According to Pinki Kumari, a member of Mishti’s family, the cooking gas cylinder in the house had become empty and the women were attempting to replace it. Gas began leaking while they were trying to fit the regulator on a new cylinder. A diya was burning in the room at the time, and the leaked gas caught fire, causing the flames to spread rapidly.
Pinki said the cylinder did not explode. Several people inside the house suffered burn injuries, while neighbours who entered the premises to rescue those trapped inside were also injured.
Mishti, who was critically injured in the fire, died while being taken to Gorakhpur for better treatment. Ankush died during treatment at Sadar Hospital in Gopalganj.
The injured include Sheela Nath Manjhi, 50; Kusum Devi, 35; Neha Kumari, 20; Pinki Kumari, 18; Kanchan Kumar, 20; Chameli Devi, 35; Kundan Kumar Sharma, 18; Ayog Kumar, 5; Baby Devi, 20; Raushan Kumar; Ayush Kumar; Aarti Kumari; and Reema Devi.
Gopalganj district magistrate Sameer Saurabh said six injured people had been referred to Gorakhpur for better treatment. He added that the district administration was providing medical assistance to those injured in the incident.
The fire also brought attention to the risks involved in changing domestic LPG cylinders in occupied homes, particularly when an ignition source is present. The account provided by the family member indicates that the gas ignited during the regulator-fitting process, but the district administration’s investigation is expected to establish the circumstances in greater detail.
Local MLA and Bihar education minister Mithilesh Tiwari visited Sadar Hospital and met the injured people and their families. He assured them of assistance and said a high-level investigation would be conducted into the incident.
The administration’s next steps are expected to include continued treatment for the injured, the transfer of critically injured patients to Gorakhpur and a high-level inquiry into the fire.
