- विज्ञापन -
Jaipur: The death count from the Bikaner gas cylinder blast has increased to eight after five additional bodies were recovered from the debris on Thursday.
The explosion took place on Wednesday at Madan Market, which was caused by a gas cylinder. Reports from officials and locals indicate that the market—famous for jewelry shops—had shopkeepers storing large LPG cylinders and refilling smaller ones from them, a hazardous practice believed to have triggered the blast.
One shopkeeper described the explosion as sounding like an airstrike. Many shops were significantly damaged, and gold valued at lakhs of rupees remains buried under the rubble. jeweler Vikas Soni, who narrowly escaped, shared that he was running late for a client—an delay that he credits with saving his life. His shop, which contained about 160 grams of gold, was also destroyed.
He added that the market housed roughly 25 shops, each holding an average of 100 grams of gold. Officials reported that both basement floors collapsed completely, and it remains unclear how many people were inside at the time.
Rescue teams and police fear the death toll could rise further as efforts continue. Locals confirmed that illegal LPG cylinders were commonly used in the market, which is an unauthorized structure.
During evacuations, police removed at least 10 large LPG cylinders, with more potentially still inside. The recovered bodies are charred beyond recognition; one found Thursday morning was identified by the victim’s shirt, while another found earlier was recognized by a ring.
A large crowd gathered outside the market, many searching for missing family members believed to have been working there during the incident. So far, five of the eight bodies recovered have been identified, including Aslam (35), Sachin Soni (22), Salman (30), Kishan Soni (30), and Lalchand. Two victims remain unidentified.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, stating that relief and rescue efforts are ongoing and that injured individuals are receiving medical care. He prayed for the souls of the departed and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured.
Former CM Ashok Gehlot also conveyed his condolences, expressing sadness over the fatalities and wishing strength for the families affected, along with speedy recovery for the injured.
