Telangana: Two dead, several hurt in cylinder blast at BRS' Atmiya Sammelan event

Expressing grief over the incident, Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao spoke to officials and leaders and gave instructions to them to ensure better treatment for the injured.

Khammam (Telangana): Two persons died and at least eight sustained grievous injuries when several cylinders stored in a hutment exploded in Telangana's Khammam district on Wednesday. The bursting of firecrackers during the Bharat Rashtra Samithi's (BRS) Atmiya Sammelan meeting led to a thatched hut catching fire. Following this several cylinders stored inside the hutment began exploding.

As per the information received from the police, when MP Nama Nageswara Rao and MLA Ramulu Naik arrived at the venue to attend the BRS's Atmiya Sammelan meeting at Cheemalapadu in the district under Karepalli Mandal, the party workers began bursting crackers to welcome the leaders.

Sparks emanating from bursting firecrackers fell on the adjacent hutment leading to the catching of fire. Police personnel with the help of local people tried to douse the flames. They were carrying water in plastic bottles. But no one noticed that the several cylinders had been stored in the hutment.

The cylinders caught fire and they started exploding. One person died on the spot while the other succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the Khamman government hospital.

Expressing grief over the incident, Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao spoke to officials and leaders and gave instructions to them to ensure better treatment for the injured. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also expressed grief and dismay over the incident. The CM told Khammam district minister Puvvada Ajay and MP Nama Nageshwar Rao to keep him (CM) informed about the well-being of the injured. The families of the deceased should be taken care of, the CM added.