Surat, Aug 03: Death toll in the blast that ripped apart a four-storeyed building here today has climbed to 20. The number of persons injured are 40. Rescue work is on full swing to clear debris and rescue the trapped people. The LPG cylinders exploded at around 3.25 am on the ground floor of the building that housed a unit manufacturing "Sharan", an instrument widely used in diamond cutting, Additional Commissioner of Police Mohan Jha told newspersons.
The impact of the explosion was so intense that two adjoining buildings, housing commercial establishments, also collapsed, police said.
Police suspect that sub-standard material could have been used in the construction of the buildings that caused the structures to cave in.
So far 20 bodies have been extricated from the debris and sent for post mortem, he said.
A team of forensic experts were at the spot but they would get a clear picture only after the debris are removed.
To a question whether police is contemplating filing an FIR against the builder, Jha said, "At present we have only registered a case of accidental death. Only after receiving the forensic science laboratory report, any decision on action against the builder can be taken."
Bureau Report