THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A retired teacher was burnt in a fire caused by a cooking gas cylinder explosion. Bhaskakara Pillai (82), a resident of Vattiyoorkavu Chembukkonam C.R.A 8/1508 Lakshmi Bhavan, sustained burns. It is believed that he has suffered more than 40 percent burns. He has been admitted to KIMS Hospital. He is undergoing treatment in the Burn ICU.

The accident occurred at around 11.30 am yesterday. The kitchen was completely burnt down and the wall of the work area adjacent to the kitchen collapsed. Bhaskara Pillai, his daughter and son-in-law live in this house. Only Bhaskara Pillai was home at the time of the incident.

The entire kitchen was filled with cooking gas due to a gas leak because the cylinder regulator and stove were not closed after cooking. The initial conclusion of the fire force is that the cylinder may have exploded when the fridge restarted. Appliances including the fridge and microwave oven were destroyed by fire. Window glasses in nearby rooms also shattered. The entire kitchen caught fire when the cylinder connected to the stove exploded. The cylinder stored in another area was thrown out during the explosion, causing a gas leak.

The kitchen windows were also on fire when a neighbour arrived after hearing the explosion. Bhaskara Pillai was lying in the courtyard near the work area with burns. A 108 ambulance arrived as informed by the locals who rushed to the spot, and shifted Bhaskara Pillai to the hospital. The fire force took about an hour to put out the fire.
A neighbour who had rushed to the wall near the kitchen after hearing the explosion sound was also burnt. The rescue operation was led by station officers Nithinraj and Aneesh Kumar.