Gas leak explosion causes property damage worth over Rs 5.55 lakh in Sukhipur

KATHMANDU: A gas leak explosion caused property damage worth Rs 5.55 lakh in Sukhipur Municipality-3, Salampur.

The incident occurred late Saturday night when a gas cylinder exploded, resulting in a fire that damaged goods, recharge cards, and cash in a grocery store, according to the District Police Office.

Bharat Sah had been operating a grocery store and a Prima Gas dealership in a rented shutter on the ground floor of a concrete house owned by local Sulinder Das.

The fire started when Sah had closed the store and left for home. Due to the gas leak, six gas cylinders exploded, causing severe damage to Sah’s grocery store and also spreading to another shutter in the same building, where Anil Kumar Das ran a grocery store.

Police spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Birendra Pasman, reported that the damage includes six gas cylinders, grocery items, Ncell and NTC recharge cards worth Rs 2 lakh, and cash amounting to Rs 50,000.

The total damage for Bharat Sah’s store is estimated to be Rs 5.55 lakh.

Additionally, DSP Pasman noted that Anil Kumar Das’s store suffered damage to goods like rice, wheat, and cooking oil, with losses estimated at Rs 2.23 lakh.

A police team from the Maheshpur Patari Area Police Office, along with the Golbazar Municipality fire engine and help from locals, managed to bring the fire under control by 10 PM on Saturday.

Fortunately, there were no human casualties. The police are conducting further investigations into the incident.