MUMBAI: Multiple explosions lit up the sky after fire broke out in a parked truck carrying a large number of LPG gas cylinders near the Dharavi bus depot on the SionDharavi Link Road adjoining the Nature Park, at around 9.50pm.
The fire started after leakage from one of the cylinders. No injuries have been reported so far, but eyewitness es claimed this could have turned into a major disaster, if the truck was parked in a congested residential locality.
Fire brigade officials said over 20 gas cylinders exploded in the fire. Fire brigade declared it a Level-1 fire call and escalated it to Level-II. Fire officials said there is a slum settlement close to the site of the fire breakout. Some vehicles parked in the vicinity in no parkign zone were damaged.
Salim Agwan, a resident, who lives in the PMGP colony, said his building was just about 150-200 feet away from the spot, from where the blasts sounded like several bombs were exploding successively.
“The whole night sky was lit up due to the explosions and flames. Some of the cylinders were flying off after the blasts and residents were worried it will fly into their homes and cause fire there,” said Agwan.
MLA Jyoti Gaikwad from the Dharavi assembly constituency stated that the incident was triggered by a car that caught fire. A truck carrying LPG gas cylinders was parked nearby, which led to the fire spreading and eventually causing a blast. Gaikwad further mentioned that the incident occurred due to unauthorized parking in a no-parking zone, and there has been no loss of life.
“The incident that has just happened here is that a car caught fire. The big truck next to it also caught fire. There were many cylinders. The cylinders caught fire and exploded, causing the surrounding area to catch fire. The fire brigade has arrived, and all the evacuation work is going on. We think that all this happened due to parking in a no-parking zone. Fortunately, there is no loss of life here”, said Jyoti Gaikwad.
