Jaipur tanker blast: Death toll at 18 as 3 more succumb to injuries
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Jaipur: The number of fatalities from the Jaipur LPG tanker explosion now stands at 18, with three additional people, including a woman who had been seriously burned, passing away from their wounds on Wednesday at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital.
Vijendra, 36, of Pawta (Jaipur), died at around 9:30 a.m., while Vijayata, 22, of Pratapgarh, died at about 4 am Later, around 1 p.m., Banshilal, 35, also passed away from his wounds. Both Vijay and Vijendra had sustained 70% burns. According to officials, all three were locals of Rajasthan.
Currently, 15 patients with severe burns are receiving treatment in the burn ward of the SMS Hospital, IANS reported.
The bodies of the deceased have been placed in the hospital mortuary and will be handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations conducted by a medical board. On Tuesday, two more victims, Naresh Babu from Etah (Uttar Pradesh) and Yusuf from Nuh (Haryana), passed away.
Dr Rakesh Jain, a plastic surgeon at SMS Hospital, confirmed that a total of 18 people have died so far. Following the deaths of two individuals on Tuesday, three more fatalities were reported on Wednesday-- two in the morning and one in the afternoon. Among the victims were two men and a woman, he added.
One critically injured patient is currently on a ventilator, while 15 others remain under treatment. Additionally, five patients have been discharged -- three on Monday and two on Tuesday, he said.
The accident occurred near Bhankrota on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway on December 20 in which four people were burned alive on the spot, while eight others died the same day during treatment at SMS Hospital. One death was reported at Jaipuria Hospital.
On Tuesday, police interrogated Jaiveer Singh, the driver of the LPG tanker involved in the accident. He revealed that the incident occurred when he made a U-turn to access the ring road at 5.44 a.m. A truck collided with his tanker from behind, leading to the blast. The police have also summoned Anil, the truck owner and a resident of Delhi, for questioning.
Jaiveer Singh recounted that he was alone in the tanker at the time of the accident. After realising the severity of the situation, he fled immediately. The gas leak ignited, creating a massive "ball of fire" that spread across the road. Singh managed to reach the ring road and informed the truck owner, Anil Kumar, about the incident before switching off his phone.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the blast and the circumstances surrounding this devastating incident.