Fri Dec 20 18:50:00 UTC 2024: **Massive LPG Tanker Explosion in Jaipur Kills 11, Injures Dozens**
JAIPUR, INDIA—A devastating explosion involving an LPG tanker on the Jaipur-Ajmer National Highway claimed the lives of 11 people and left over 35 injured early Friday morning. The incident occurred around 5:00 AM near the Bhankrota police station when a truck collided with the tanker, causing a massive gas leak and subsequent fireball that engulfed approximately 300 meters of highway.
At least 37 vehicles were destroyed in the inferno, including two buses – one a private sleeper coach traveling from Udaipur to Jaipur – and numerous trucks. The intensity of the blaze initially prevented emergency services from reaching the scene. Many truck drivers and passengers were asleep in their vehicles when the explosion occurred, leaving them little time to escape.
One truck driver, Sumer Singh (40), recounted his miraculous escape. He was driving towards the Vishwakarma Industrial Area when he saw a towering wall of fire ahead. He swerved his truck and jumped out just before it was consumed by the flames. While he survived, his truck was completely destroyed.
Singh described the scene as chaotic and horrifying, with people screaming for help amidst the inferno. He witnessed a man engulfed in flames running without clothes. The majority of the casualties were truck drivers, helpers, and bus passengers.
The injured were rushed to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur, where doctors and nurses were called in from their homes to handle the influx of severely burned patients. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khivsar visited the hospital to oversee the emergency response. Hospital staff described the scene as horrific, with some victims arriving with severely damaged bodies.
One family, whose son, 21-year-old Bablu Gurjar, was injured in the blast, had to travel from Gujarat after receiving the terrible news. Another family anxiously awaited news from their son, Faizan (20), who was aboard one of the buses. Faizan suffered 50% burns.
The intense heat from the explosion was visible from a kilometer away, according to a school van driver who witnessed the aftermath. While fire brigades and ambulances eventually arrived, initial access to the burning vehicles was severely hampered. The cause of the initial truck-tanker collision is under investigation.
First Piper 