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Eleven people, including seven children, sustained burn injuries on Thursday after a gas cylinder leak triggered a fire and a subsequent explosion at a residential quarter housing migrant labourers in Haryana’s Yamunanagar, police said.

According to officials, the incident occurred in the Salempur Bangar area, located adjacent to an industrial unit. SHO of Jagadhari (Sadar) police station, Tarsem Kumar, said the victims were inside the quarter in the morning when the mishap took place.

He explained that a family was preparing food using firewood when a nearby gas cylinder began leaking. “The leaked gas quickly ignited, resulting in a massive fireball that led to an explosion. The impact of the blast caused extensive damage to the walls and structure of the residential quarter,” he said.

 

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The sudden explosion created panic in the area, with nearby residents rushing to help the victims and alerting emergency services. Firefighters and police teams reached the spot shortly after and brought the situation under control.

Among those injured were a two-month-old infant, two men aged 43, a 40-year-old woman, and an 18-year-old youth. Officials added that the remaining injured children were between five and ten years old, many of whom sustained burn injuries of varying degrees.

“All the injured were initially taken to the Civil Hospital,” Kumar said. Medical staff provided first-aid and stabilised the victims before assessing the severity of their injuries. He further stated that eight of the injured, who suffered serious burns, were later referred to a hospital in Chandigarh for advanced treatment. The condition of some of them is reported to be critical.

Police said a detailed investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the gas leak and to determine whether any safety lapses contributed to the incident. Authorities are also examining the living conditions at the site and have urged residents to follow proper safety measures while handling gas cylinders to prevent such accidents.