The pipeline was allegedly damaged by an excavator during unauthorised digging on Saturday midnight. Multiple vehicles were gutted in the fire MUMBAI: Panic broke out after an MGL pipeline running under an Andheri East road was allegedly damaged by an excavator during unauthorised digging soon after Saturday midnight, causing a leak that sparked a 40ft-high blaze. Three motorists were injured, two of whom are critical, and multiple vehicles were gutted.The injured—bikers Arvind Kumar Kaithal (21) and Aman Saroj (22) as well as auto driver Suresh Gupta (52)—were rushed to Jogeshwari Trauma Care Hospital. Kaithal and Saroj, who suffered at least 50% burns, were later shifted to Airoli Burns Centre. “We will know in three to four days if the two are out of danger,” said Sunil Keswani, medical director of the centre.The road wears a busy look during the day but sees relatively less traffic late at night. A fire brigade official said MGL quickly disconnected the gas supply, and fire personnel contained the blaze and extinguished it in an hour.An MGL official said the road digging work was not authorised and the gas supply was restored by Sunday afternoon following repairs.ACP (Andheri division) Dr Shashikant Bhosale said an FIR has been lodged against the contractor and the earthmover operator for negligence. “We have sought an inquiry report from the fire department and BMC on the safety measures that were supposed to have been taken at the site,” he said.An eyewitness who lives in the area said two excavators were digging up the road near Sher-e-Punjab Society when one of them hit the gas line. “One of the excavator operators immediately fled. Soon, there was a blast and a fire broke out. Vehicles that were passing by caught fire, and two bikers and an auto driver were injured.” He said amid the panic, residents near the site promptly evacuated buildings. “The fire also damaged cables and traffic signals.”
Gas pipeline leak on road triggers 40ft-high blaze in Mumbai, 2 critical | India News
