Manipur: House gutted, two injured in gas cylinder blast in Imphal

Imphal: A major fire engulfed destroying properties worth lakhs of rupees and causing injuries to two persons in a gas cylinder blast in the residential areas around Singjamei Chingamakha Liwa Lambi Ningthoujam Leikai under the Singjamei police station in Imphal West district on Friday.

The intense fire broke out amidst light rains at around 11 a.m. on Friday and gutted several items inside the building belonging to the family members of Oinam Geet, 44, a reputed guitarist of the state.

The items including tons of paddy crops, tables, chairs, almirahs, desks, benches, household materials, and several important books were burned to the ground.

On receiving the information, the fire services of the state head office, Imphal, responded promptly with all the necessary equipment.

Four fire tenders were pressed into service, but the wrath of fire had already destroyed the properties amidst the blast of two gas cylinders.

Two local volunteers — Waithom Pritam and Koijam Sanjoy who tried to extinguish the fire sustained injuries in the cylinder blasts.

They were rushed to the nearby hospitals. The blaze was extinguished after firefighting for around four hours.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, the fire service sources said.