Jaipur LPG Tanker Explosion: Casualties Increase to 15, Body of Former IAS Officer Identified
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Jaipur, Dec 24 (NationPress) The number of fatalities from the LPG tanker explosion in Jaipur has climbed to 15, with two more individuals succumbing to their injuries at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital on Tuesday.
Dr Rakesh Jain, a plastic surgeon at SMS Hospital, confirmed that the death toll now stands at 15. The two deceased have been identified as Naresh Babu from Etah (Uttar Pradesh) and Yusuf from Nuh (Haryana).
Currently, four patients who are critically injured are on ventilators, while 20 individuals continue to receive treatment. Additionally, five patients have been discharged from the hospital, with three discharged on Monday and two on Tuesday, according to Dr Jain.
This devastating incident transpired on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway at approximately 5.45 a.m. on December 20, near Bhankrota, close to Delhi Public School on Ajmer Road, in Jaipur.
Among the deceased is a former IAS officer, Karni Singh, who was reportedly returning from his farmhouse when he became trapped in the flames and lost his life. His DNA samples were matched with those of his daughter to confirm his identity, as per officials.
The driver of the LPG tanker, Jaiveer Singh from Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), has provided the police with details surrounding the incident.
He indicated that the explosion was triggered by a collision with another truck, which caused the gas nozzle to break, resulting in a loud bang and a subsequent gas leak.
Singh recounted that upon the gas leak, fireballs erupted and spread rapidly. "I grabbed my mobile and ran towards Ajmer, approximately 200 meters ahead, when the tanker exploded, leading to fireballs scattering across the road," he stated.
Singh was alone in the vehicle during the accident. Following the incident, he stopped near the ring road, contacted the tanker’s owner, Anil Kumar, to report the situation, and then turned off his mobile. The police have also summoned Anil Kumar, a resident of Delhi, for further questioning.
