HOSHIARPUR, Aug. 23 — Two people were killed and 23 others suffered serious burn injuries after a fire erupted at the Hindustan Petroleum LPG bottling plant in Mandiyala village along the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar road late Friday night, officials said Saturday.
Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Senior Medical Officer at Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital, confirmed that 23 burn victims were admitted following the incident. “Fifteen patients had to be referred to specialty hospitals, including two who were shifted to a private hospital in Adampur. Seven remain under treatment here,” he said. One victim was declared dead on arrival, while another succumbed later at the private hospital, Singh added.
The fire began shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, when villagers reported hearing multiple blasts from the plant site. Plant officials alerted the Hoshiarpur fire brigade at 10:05 p.m., and fire tenders were rushed to control the blaze, officials said.
By Saturday morning, anger spilled onto the streets as residents of nearby villages staged a sit-in near the plant. Protesters alleged that their repeated demands to relocate the LPG facility had been ignored. “We have been saying for years that this plant is a danger to our lives, but no action has been taken. Every day we live with the fear of such accidents,” one protester said.
Demonstrators also raised concerns about safety practices at the site, alleging that tanker trucks are often parked along both sides of the busy highway instead of being kept inside the plant compound. They claimed such negligence increases the risk of accidents.
Officials said investigations into the cause of the fire are underway.
