3-year-old charred, 5 injured as illegal petrol tank explodes in Odisha’s Kendrapara

A three-year-old boy died and five others suffered burns after an illegally stored barrel of petrol caught fire and exploded in Odisha’s Kendrapara district.

Odisha News: In a tragic incident, a three-year-old child was charred while five other people, including a 14-year-old boy, suffered burns after a cache of illegally stored petrol exploded in a village in Odisha’s Kendrapara district. Thursday.

According to police, the incident took place on Thursday evening in Badapada village in Pattamundai rural police station area, when a barrel filled with illegally stored petrol caught fire and exploded in a thatched hut.

One person, identified as Ratnakar Mallick, had illegally stored petrol in a barrel for his son’s wedding procession. However, the drum, which was kept in a thatched house, accidentally caught fire due to a short circuit and an explosion took place,” a police officer said.

Inspector Padmalaya Pradhan of the Pattamundai Rural Police Station said a three-year-old boy was burned to death in the explosion, while five others suffered serious burns. The injured were rushed to a local hospital for medical treatment. However, a 14-year-old boy – who was also injured in the blast – was in critical condition and was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment.

The remaining four victims are being treated at the sub-divisional hospital, he said.

Fire tenders were pressed into service and the blaze was brought under control, the officer said, adding that the deceased child was identified as Gulu Mallick.

Police have registered a case in this regard and initiated further investigation, he said.

“No arrests have been made so far,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)