RANGALITING (DERGAON), Feb 28 - Three persons including a minor girl died on the spot while the gas leaked from a tanker caught fire in the nearby houses at Rangamatty Rangaliting Grant TE, eight kilometres off Dergaon town in Golaghat district under Dergaon PS last night.
According to information, the tanker (GJ-12-AU-6782) carrying propylene from Guwahati to Digboi turned turtle on NH-37 at around 10:35 last night. As a result, one of the three valves of the tanker got opened and gas came out and spread to nearby areas. Within a minute, the gas caught fire at a house across the road, about 150 metres away from the tanker and immediately turned the house into ashes. In the fire, Bimal Bhuyan (60), Lalita Bhuyan (40) and Juntora Bhuyan (8) turned into skeletons on their beds without any chance to come out from the house.
The rest of the people made a hue and cry and fled from the scene. Among them eight persons received serious burn injuries while Belmoti Bhumij (50) has been shifted to Assam Medical College Hospital, Dibrugarh from Jorhat Medical College Hospital for better treatment. Two of the injured have been identified as Khogen Bhumij and Joymoti Bhumij.
The incident was so devastating and terrible that the villagers fled away up to 2 kilometres from the spot of the fire. As many as nine houses were gutted and fire-tenders from Dergaon, Golaghat, NRL, Bokakhat were pressed into service to control the fire. Several cattle, pigs, cocks etc., were also burnt.
Meanwhile, a relief camp has been started at Rangaliting Bagisha LP School where as many as 48 people are taking shelter. The Deputy Commissioner Golaghat Gaurav Bothra visited the spot and monitored the activities personally.
Talking to this correspondent, the Deputy Commissioner said that the Chief Minister has been constantly interacting with him and has directed him to extend all possible help to the affected people. He also informed that he has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the next kin of the three deceased under DC�s Gratuitous Fund and one such ex-gratia has been paid to Sibcharan Bhuyan, the next kin of Juntora Bhuyan, who lost her life as she spent the night as a guest from Chakaling.
The injured have been paid Rs 4300 each and the amount will be increased to Rs 12,700 if the treatment at hospital exceeds one week. The DC also informed that all the facilities like drinking water, food items, blankets, electricity have been provided at the camp.
Minwhile State minister Pallab Lochan Das, local MLA Mrinal Saikia, MLAs of Duliajan and Tinsukia rushed to the spot and interacted with the affected people at the camp. Dergaon circle officer Lakhimi Dutta along with other police officers are also monitoring the situation.
Talking to this correspondent the owner of the house which caught the fire first, Hari Nath Bhuyan said that the accident was so terrible that some of their family members could escape with only God�s grace. According to him, gas caught fire first at the domestic fire place.
Although the situation is under control but sensation prevails among the villagers.
