New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) At least six people were injured after a suspected LPG cylinder explosion led to the collapse of a building in Delhi’s Mukundpur area on Tuesday morning, officials said.

The Delhi Fire Service received a distress call at around 9:37 a.m. reporting what appeared to be an explosion, followed by the collapse of a residential structure. Emergency teams were immediately mobilised to the site as rescue operations got underway.

According to fire department officials, five fire tenders were rushed to the location soon after the information was received. Rescue personnel and local authorities launched a search operation to check for people trapped under the debris and to prevent any further mishap.

Preliminary information suggests that the incident occurred in a building that was being used as a utensil polishing facility. The exact cause of the blast is yet to be officially established, though initial investigation indicates that an LPG cylinder explosion may have triggered the collapse.

Officials said the blast was powerful enough to bring down a single-storey structure spread across an area of nearly 250 square yards.

Police said six people sustained injuries in the incident. However, the severity of their injuries was not immediately known.

Authorities stated that their condition would become clear only after a detailed medical examination by doctors.

Emergency responders continued search and rescue efforts at the site to ensure that no one remained trapped beneath the collapsed structure. Teams from the fire department, police and other civic agencies remained deployed in the area as operations progressed.

Officials said further details regarding the cause of the explosion and the condition of the injured are awaited.

This comes just hours after a massive fire broke out in a multi-story residential building located in Ghaziabad’s Avantika Colony, Phase 2, during which three pet dogs lost their lives.

During the blaze, four members of the same family became trapped inside their flat; however, the Fire Service safely evacuated them shortly.

Tragically, three pet dogs present in the flat died due to asphyxiation.

According to officials, the Kotwali Fire Station received an alert around 3:09 a.m. on Tuesday stating that a fire had erupted in a flat in Avantika Colony and that several people were trapped inside.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was likely caused by a short circuit in the drawing room or near the main entrance. The blaze engulfed the drawing room, kitchen, storeroom, and one of the bedrooms.

After the fire was extinguished and the entire flat was searched, it was discovered that the family’s three pet dogs had perished due to excessive smoke.

–IANS

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