Imphal: A fire caused by a cooking gas cylinder explosion destroyed a wooden upper-floor house in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Sunday morning. A sum of Rs 5 lakhs kept in a trunk inside the house was also destroyed.
The incident occurred around 9.40 am at Yumnam Huidrom Teramakhong Makha Leikai, under the jurisdiction of Wangoi Police Station. The explosion, which started in the kitchen, caused the fire to spread rapidly.
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Huidrom Bisheswor Singh, 55, the owner of the house and the fire victim, told mediapersons that the fire broke out suddenly when he attempted to ignite the gas cylinder to begin cooking.
Flames erupted from the first floor, and the fire quickly engulfed the furniture and belongings. A second explosion from an extra-filled gas cylinder stored in the kitchen intensified the blaze.
Properties worth over Rs 40 lakhs were destroyed in the incident. Two fire tenders from the Head Fire Service Office in Imphal rushed to the spot, but the fire had already gutted the upper part of the wooden house. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, officials confirmed.
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Local MLA Khuraijam Loken, who later inspected the scene, announced that Rs 2 lakhs from his MLA Local Area Development Fund would be provided to the victim.
Additionally, Imphal West Deputy Commissioner Mayanglambam Rajkumar Singh pledged financial assistance after damage assessment by the fire services.