Fri Dec 20 19:22:37 UTC 2024: ## Jaipur Gas Tanker Explosion Kills 12, Injures Dozens

**Jaipur, Rajasthan, India** – A massive explosion involving an LPG tanker in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on Friday morning resulted in the deaths of 12 people and injuries to at least 32 others. The incident occurred around 5:44 AM near Delhi Public School when a Bharat Petroleum tanker, en route from Ajmer to Jaipur, collided with a truck while attempting a U-turn.

The impact ruptured five nozzles on the tanker, causing the release of approximately 18 tons of LPG gas. The subsequent ignition of the gas led to a powerful explosion that engulfed a 200-meter radius in flames, with the sound audible up to 1.5 kilometers away.

Eyewitnesses reported that people fleeing the initial fire became trapped in the ensuing inferno, with several perishing before they could escape. The intense heat and rapidly spreading fire damaged over 40 vehicles, including a sleeper bus, and a nearby pipe factory. The bus, carrying 34 passengers, was particularly affected, with its door jammed against a truck, hindering escape. Rescue efforts involved local residents assisting in getting people out of the burning vehicles.

Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours, eventually extinguishing it in the afternoon. Power was cut to the area as a precautionary measure. Chief Minister Bhanwar Lal Sharma visited the injured at Sawai Man Singh Hospital and the accident site, ordering a high-level investigation into the incident. The government announced compensation of ₹200,000 from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and ₹500,000 from the state government for each victim’s family. Aerial footage captured the scale of the devastation, showing flames reaching hundreds of feet high. The highway was temporarily closed due to the accident.

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