Blast in banquet hall near mall in Maharashtra's Thane, watchman injured

Thane: A watchman was inured in a high intensity explosion in a banquest hall near the Maxus Mall in Bhayander township of Maharashtra's Thane district just after midnight on Thursday (February 6, 2020), officials said. The watchman syffered minor injures in the balst that took place around 12:30 am, they said.

Police suspect it to be a cylinder or compressor explosion, but a probe was on to ascertain the exact cause. Several glass panes of the mall and adjacent buildings were broken and a couple of cars parked nearby also suffered damages, Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation's fire services officer Alpesh Sankhe said.

On hearing the loud blast, those residing in the area panicked and came out of their houses, he said. "It was not an LPG cylinder blast. We are trying find out what caused the explosion," he said.

There was no blaze after the blast, but two fire engines were sent to the spot, he added. On getting information about the explosion, a bomb detection and disposal squad was also rushed to the spot and the area was cordoned off, a police official said.

The blast might have occurred due to leakage in a gas cylinder or a compressor, he said, adding that a probe was underway to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion.