Mumbai Gas Cylinder Explosion: 8 Killed In Western India

Eight people in India’s western state of Maharashtra were killed Friday after a gas cylinder exploded at a hotel in the state capital Mumbai. A fire triggered by the blast was brought under control by authorities, according to DNA newspaper.

According to initial reports, seven men and one woman died in the blast in Kurla area of central Mumbai late afternoon. The hotel where the explosion occurred is located opposite to a school. The injured were taken to a local hospital, according to reports.

The reason behind the blast was unclear, but senior police official Raosaheb Shinde said that a leak in the cylinder could have caused the explosion, DNA reported. “The exact reason will be known after forensic team arrives," Shinde said.

The incident comes a month after 82 people were killed and dozens injured after a cooking gas cylinder explosion in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The blast set fire to explosives stored in the restaurant.