2 killed, 5 hurt in LPG gas cylinder explosion in UP's Pratapgarh

Two people were killed while five were seriously injured in an LPG gas cylinder explosion in this Uttar Pradesh district, police said on Sunday.

According to the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Kondhaur police station, Bachhe Lal, the incident occurred late on Saturday night at the residence of Ashfaq, a firecracker seller.

The blaze started when a spark from a cutter machine (used for cutting tiles) fell on the stock of firecrackers kept in the house. An LPG cylinder kept in the house also caught fire and exploded, the SHO said.

Two men -- identified as Shakeel (48) and Sandeep Patwa (24) -- were killed in the incident, he said, adding that five people were also grievously injured.

The injured were referred to the SRN hospital in Prayagraj for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem, the officer said.