Hoshiarpur: A massive LPG tanker explosion late Friday night near Mandiala village in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district has left two people dead and more than 30 others with severe burn injuries, sparking widespread outrage among locals.
The incident occurred around 10:30 pm when the tanker collided with a mini truck on the Hoshiarpur–Jalandhar highway, overturned, and caught fire. The blaze quickly spread, engulfing 15 shops and four houses in the vicinity. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as families scrambled to escape the flames.
Rescue operations were launched immediately, with fire brigades from Hoshiarpur, Dasuha, and Talwara rushing in to control the inferno. The injured, many with burns ranging from 30% to 80%, were shifted to Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital. Authorities also closed the busy Hoshiarpur–Jalandhar National Highway as a precaution.
While officials tried to restore calm, public anger grew rapidly. Residents of Mandiala and nearby villages gathered at the accident site and began a sit-in protest, demanding immediate compensation for victims and a high-level investigation into the disaster. Villagers alleged negligence in tanker safety standards and questioned why such heavily loaded vehicles were allowed to pass through densely populated areas.
“The government must take responsibility. Families have lost everything in minutes,” said one protester. Demonstrators have vowed not to lift the dharna until their demands are met.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was also pressed into service. Officials confirmed that a gas plant located just 500 meters away from the site remained safe and unaffected by the flames, averting what could have been an even larger tragedy.
The administration is yet to issue an official statement regarding compensation, while the police have begun preliminary inquiries into the cause of the tanker’s overturning.
