Jorhat blast kills two, including child; fire extinguisher tampering suspected
Police rule out LPG blast; suspect victim was hammering fire extinguisher when explosion occured
A forensic team collecting samples from the site
Jorhat, Mar 28: A powerful explosion rocked a densely populated area in Jorhat on Saturday afternoon, leaving two people dead, including a child, and two others critically injured.
Nur Mohammad, a resident of Nagaon, died on the spot. An eight-year-old child, Iqbal Ahmed, later succumbed to injuries at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
The two injured are undergoing treatment at the same hospital, and their condition is reported to be critical.
The incident occurred around 3:30 pm at a rented house in Rajamaidam New Colony, reportedly owned by Ansari Malik. The blast was heard across the locality, triggering panic among residents.
“At first, we received information that it was a cylinder blast, but when we reached the spot, there was no fire. Initially, it appeared to be some kind of explosive, but we are not 100% sure. After speaking to witnesses, we were told that the victim was hammering a small fire extinguisher,” said Superintendent of Police Subhra Jyoti Bora.
The officer added that the victim may have been attempting to extract metal from the object.
“We suspect he might have been hammering the extinguisher to extract some valuable metal and sell it. However, we are still not sure where he got the item from. Once we question others who were working with him, we may get more clarity,” he said.
A forensic team has collected samples from the site and begun examining evidence to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
“The forensic report will take some time. A dog squad was also deployed, but nothing significant was detected,” the officer added.
Locals described the impact of the blast as extremely powerful.
“We heard a loud sound and rushed to the spot. At first, we thought it was an LPG cylinder explosion, but it wasn’t. Neighbours said the victims were unboxing something when it suddenly exploded. The blast was so strong that one person was thrown nearly 15 feet away,” said a local resident.
The incident has raised concerns among residents, particularly as it occurred in a densely populated area.