4 of family killed in cylinder blast in Mumbai, one critical

MUMBAI: A man, his two sons and his brother were killed when an LPG cylinder exploded at their home in a chawl at Santacruz (East) on Thursday. His wife is critical with 90% burns. His sister-in-law and a neighbour suffered minor burns.
Rajdev Dixit's wife Sailkumari (40) was cooking in their ground-plus-one accommodation in Manilal Chawl at Golibar Naka.Around 10.45am, when the cylinder emptied out, she replaced it. But just as she struck a match to light the stove, the new cylinder exploded. A police officer said it appeared that while changing cylinders, Sailkumari failed to check if the regulator on the new one fitted properly.
Engulfed in fire, Sailkumari ran out of the house. In a state of panic, she bolted the door from outside, preventing the others in the flat from escaping. "Her sister-in-law Shobha (35) said that before anyone could react, the entire flat was on fire. She said she could escape only after neighbours unlatched the door from outside," said a police officer. A neighbour, Mira Upadhyaya (40), suffered minor burns.
"The fire was brought under control by the fire brigade, which arrived in about 15 minutes," the officer said.
Rajdev (50) and his brother Kapil (40) lived in a joint family, which included Rajdev's wife and sons Rajendra (20) and Yashwant (17), and Kapil's wife. "All victims were taken to hospital, where four members of the family were pronounced dead. The women are admitted in hospital," the officer said.
The Vakola police have registered an accidental death report (ADR). After a preliminary probe, the police have concluded that "the incident occurred due to gas leakage when the victim (Sailkumari) tried to switch on gas", said deputy commissioner of police (zone VIII) Virendra Mishra.
Meanwhile, there was a melee when local goons molested two women crew members of a TV channel that was covering the incident. An FIR was lodged and a goon, Salman Sheikh, was arrested.