5 killed in cylinder explosion in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Five persons, including two women, were killed and four others injured today when two houses collapsed after a cylinder blast in Barmer city of Rajasthan.

The incident occurred today morning in a residential colony when a cylinder caught fire during cooking and exploded, police said.

The explosion was so powerful that the adjoining houses collapsed, leaving the family members trapped in the debris, they said.

The victims were rescued and rushed to the district hospital where Lalchand (45), Ramesh (30), Hemlata (22), Rekha (25) and Tarachand (30) were declared dead, police said.

The four injured, including a minor girl, are being treated.

The rescue operation was still going on to locate other missing people, police added.