Odisha: Several injured after gas cylinder explodes in Puri hotel

Puri: At least four people, including three hotel employees and a firefighter, were injured after a suspected LPG cylinder explosion ripped through a hotel’s ceiling on the Grand Road in Puri city on Friday.The explosion occurred inside a hotel in the afternoon, triggering panic in the busy locality and scattering debris across the Grand Road.According to preliminary reports, the blast was so powerful that fragments of glass and plywood from the hotel were flung nearly 100 feet away, causing considerable damage to the hotel premises.Three employees of the hotel sustained injuries in the incident. A firefighter, who had reached the spot to douse the flames, was also injured in an accidental mishap during the firefighting operation.Fire service personnel rushed to the scene and launched efforts to contain the blaze. The injured were subsequently shifted to the district headquarters hospital here for treatment.The exact cause of the explosion and the condition of those injured are yet to be ascertained. Further details are awaited.