Jhabua (MP), Sept 12: At least 89 people died and 100 were injured Saturday after a blast caused by mining explosives stored in a building ripped through a crowded area in Petlwad here.
The blast occurred at 8.30am, completely destroying two buildings – one in which explosive material for digging wells was stored and an adjacent restaurant – and damaging many houses, officials said.
The explosion took place in the building of Rajendra Kasawa who has a licence to use explosive material for digging wells. Kasawa stored the explosives including gelatin sticks in the residential building having two shops in it and situated close to busy Sethia Restaurant at new bus stand, a police official said.
A large number of daily wage labourers were waiting for their daily work near the restaurant when the explosion occurred. Besides many persons were there inside the restaurant which is a big eatery in the area, eyewitnesses said. Some people going to Gujarat were also standing near the hotel for tea and snacks and majority of them were either killed or injured in the blast, a police official said.
One of the injured, Narsingh (42), said body parts were strewn in the area after the blast. ‘‘We have seen them flying and falling on the ground. Vehicles, especially two-wheelers, were badly damaged and lying on the road,’’ he said.
Due to the impact of the blast, the double-story house in which explosive material were stored collapsed trapping a number of persons, he said.
State Home Minister Babulal Gaur said a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
Expressing anguish over the loss of lives, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced an ex-gratia of `2 lakh each to kin of the deceased and `50,000 for those injured.
‘‘We have performed autopsy so far on 60 bodies. Rest are lying on the premises for post-mortem,’’ chief medical officer Arun Sharma said.
‘‘Initially we heard the sound of crackers from a house that has two shops on the ground floor. Later, when someone opened its shutter, a huge explosion took place forcing people to run for cover,’’ Balram, an injured labourer, told newsmen in Jhabua district hospital.
A large number of people were also trapped in the retuarant located in an adjacent three-storey building, he said. Earlier, police had said the explosion was caused by a cooking gas cylinder kept in the eatery. Nearly 100 people were injured in the explosion, a police official said.
‘‘I am in constant touch with officials. The incident is sad and has left me shaken. The reasons for the blast will be investigated,’’ the Chief Minister said.
Senior officials from Jhabua including superintendent of police G G Pandey besides State Tribal Welfare Minister Antar Singh Arya rushed to the spot. PTI
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