A devastating explosion ripped through a residential apartment in Agartala, Tripura, on Thursday, June 25, leaving one person critically injured and damaging several neighboring flats. The blast occurred at NS Apartment, located at Shankar Chowmuhani in Ramnagar, and was so powerful that it sent shockwaves through the multi-storeyed apartment complex. The injured person, 33-year-old Subhrajit Chowdhury, an educator associated with SIP Abacus, succumbed to nearly 90 per cent burn injuries on Friday, a day after the explosion.
Preliminary investigations indicate that unauthorized tampering with the gas pipeline may have led to the explosion. Investigators found that the gas pipeline connection provided to the flat had allegedly been tampered with, and the mandatory safety plug or cap installed at the open end of the pipeline by TNGCL technicians had reportedly been removed. In addition, the projecting pipe had been cut short until it became almost level with the wall surface. The alterations were allegedly carried out during interior renovation of the flat to facilitate installation of a wooden cabinet after the residential apartment was converted into an office space.
With the protective cap removed, gas reportedly continued leaking into the room whenever residents occupying upper floors used their piped natural gas connections. The office remained closed for most of the day except during class hours and had inadequate ventilation. Consequently, natural gas continued accumulating inside the enclosed room over an extended period. According to preliminary findings, Chowdhury entered the office on Thursday and attempted to light an incense stick, which is believed to have ignited the accumulated gas, triggering the devastating explosion.
The incident has brought the safety standards of apartment buildings under public scrutiny, with questions being raised about structural design, ventilation, and compliance with safety norms. Local MLA and Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder rushed to the spot soon after the incident and expressed concern over the magnitude of the explosion. The Mayor said the safety and security of people residing in apartment buildings remained the government’s foremost priority.
The Tripura Government has constituted a high-level inquiry committee under the stewardship of the Secretary of the Urban Development Department to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion and identify accountability. The committee has been directed to submit its report within seven days. The inquiry is expected to examine the circumstances leading to the alleged tampering of the PNG pipeline, determine whether mandatory safety protocols were violated, and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in apartment complexes across the state.
