THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, March 16: A mysterious LPG cylinder explosion and fire in the congested Bairya More area of Daltonganj on Sunday afternoon left four people injured and exposed the alleged illegal storage and trading of LPG cylinders by a rural-based gas agency inside the town.
The development comes weeks after The Jharkhand Story news portal had reported and alerted the administration on January 24, 2026 about rural LPG agencies licensed for village distribution allegedly doing business in urban areas in violation of licence rules, storage norms and delivery limits.
Sunday’s blast has now brought those concerns into sharp focus.
Blast in Congested Locality Triggers Panic
The explosion occurred around 2:30 pm in a basement at Bairya More, one of the most congested residential and commercial areas of Daltonganj.
The blast triggered a massive fire, sending panic across the locality. Residents said they had no idea that so many LPG cylinders were being stored illegally so close to their homes and shops.
Authorities later found around 35 to 45 Indane LPG cylinders at the site.
Fire Officer Calls Incident “Mysterious”
Palamu District Fire Officer Albert Tigga said the cause of the explosion remains unclear.
“We were informed about LPG cylinder bursts at Bairya More on Sunday afternoon. Two fire tenders rushed to the site—one carrying 4,500 litres of water and the other 7,500 litres. Both were exhausted in controlling the intense fire,” Tigga said.
The blaze was eventually contained and prevented from spreading, partly because the incident occurred in a basement.
However, the fire officer said one aspect remains puzzling.
“We were told it was a cylinder blast, but no wreckage or debris of any cylinder has been found so far. It is strange,” Tigga said.
Four Persons Sustain Burn Injuries
Town police station officer-in-charge Jyoti Lal Rajwar said four persons suffered multiple burn injuries in the incident.
The injured have been identified as:
- Dharmender (Pandu village)
- Mukesh (Sudna, Daltonganj)
- Alok (Kutmu)
- Vikram (Latehar)
They were first taken to MMCH Daltonganj for treatment. Later, Mukesh, Alok and Vikram were shifted to a multi-speciality hospital in Nawa Toli, hospital sources said.
Police: Rural Gas Agency Operating Illegally in Town
Police said the cylinders belonged to an Indane LPG agency based in Kutmu village under the Bishrampur police sub-division.
Officials confirmed that a rural LPG distributor storing and selling cylinders in an urban area is illegal.
“It is outright illegal. Both storage and trading here are illegal,” officer-in-charge Jyoti Lal Rajwar said.
He added that the dealer appeared to be taking advantage of the demand situation to make profits.
Cause of Blast Under Investigation
Police said there are multiple versions about how the explosion occurred.
“One version suggests cooking activity was going on when the cylinder burst. There are several versions and the police are verifying them,” Rajwar said.
Further action will be taken after the fire department submits its report, sources said.
Safety Violations Under Scanner
Initial observations suggest serious violations of LPG safety norms, including:
- Storage of cylinders in a poorly ventilated basement
- Storage in a highly congested residential and commercial area
- No visible fire safety measures
Authorities are now examining whether illegal LPG storage and unauthorised trading led to the explosion.
