Fatehpur LPG cylinder blast claims 5 lives; solar batteries intensify explosion

The death toll in the LPG cylinder blast in Fatehpur rose to five after a 25-year-old man succumbed to severe burn injuries during treatment early Tuesday, officials said.

The explosion, which occurred around 5 p.m. on Monday, 28 September, at the residence of a fruit vendor Suresh Gupta in Malwa town, demolished the two-storey house and damaged nearby structures.

Preliminary investigations indicate the blast started due to a gas leak from an LPG cylinder. Officials also revealed that solar power system batteries stored inside the house exploded during the incident, amplifying the blast’s intensity.

Seven individuals were rescued from the debris and rushed to hospital. Four victims—Kunal Gupta (18), Arpit Gupta (15), Ved Gupta (8) and Yash Gupta (4)—died on Monday. Alok Gupta (25) passed away on Tuesday.

Suresh Gupta (50) and his seven-year-old nephew Om remain hospitalised and are reported to be stable.

Narrow lanes complicated rescue efforts, but police, fire brigade, local residents and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Lucknow conducted evacuation and relief operations. Heavy machinery was employed after clearing debris to aid access.

The cause and sequence of events leading to the explosion are under investigation, with recovered LPG cylinders and materials being examined by authorities.