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A victim of the explosion in Bihar's Muzaffarpur on Monday alleged that prior warnings about a possible mishap were ignored, claiming that everything was reduced to ashes in the incident that left one person dead and six others injured.
The victim also said that two daughters-in-law in the family sustained serious injuries to their legs. "A fire broke outsomeone set it deliberately. We tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen... everything has been reduced to ashes. We had warned them beforehand that something like this might happen. We pleaded with them, but it was all in vaineverything is gone... Both my daughters-in-law have sustained deep injuries on their legs; they are covered in severe scratches and bruises," she told ANI. Further, Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Kumar Gaurav said preliminary investigations indicated that a PNG pipeline was damaged by a JCB machine during excavation work for drainage construction, triggering the explosion. He said one person had died and six others sustained injuries in the incident. The injured were immediately shifted to hospitals, with some admitted to Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) and four undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital. Of the two injured persons admitted to SKMCH, one suffered over 80 per cent burns and was in critical condition, while the other sustained approximately 20 per cent burns and was stable, the DM said. Gaurav further said that a committee had been constituted to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident and ascertain possible negligence. "According to initial reports, there was an interval of about 25 to 30 minutes between the start of the gas leak and the explosion. Since the response time was insufficient and the situation could not be brought under control, we will conduct a comprehensive review and investigation, followed by the formulation of an SOP. Furthermore, action will be taken against those found responsible for any negligence," he said. The DM said the investigation would examine the sequence of events and determine accountability for any lapses. (ANI)
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