Gas pipeline blast kills one, destroys houses in western India

Senior Gandhinagar official Kuldeep Arya told Reuters a gas leakage could have triggered the blast. "ONGC confirms that this pipeline, where the accident took place, does not belong to ONGC," its local office said.

A blast at a gas pipeline in the western Indian state of Gujarat killed one person and injured two others early on Tuesday, authorities said. It was not immediately clear who ran the pipeline - state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) denied media reports that it was the operator. Local company Sabarmati Gas, partly-owned by Bharat Petroleum Corp, also said it was not involved.

The massive explosion destroyed two houses in a residential area near ONGC's Kalol field in Gandhinagar district, trapping people under the debris, officials said. Senior Gandhinagar official Kuldeep Arya told Reuters a gas leakage could have triggered the blast.

"ONGC confirms that this pipeline, where the accident took place, does not belong to ONGC," its local office said. It was supporting rescue officials on the ground, it added.

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