Muzaffarpur Pipeline Explosion: Eyewitnesses Describe Terrifying Scene

Panic gripped residents of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, after a powerful explosion linked to a gas pipeline shattered the morning calm on Monday. The incident claimed one life, injured more than half a dozen people, and caused extensive damage to property.

The mishap happened in the Gobarsahi-Dumri area, which falls under the Sadar police station jurisdiction. Local people said excavation work using a JCB machine had been going on at the spot just before the blast.

As per eyewitness accounts, the digging may have damaged a PNG line, causing gas to escape. The leak quickly turned into a violent explosion. A young man standing close to the source was critically injured, while others nearby also suffered serious wounds.

Blast felt like a bomb

The impact of the explosion was felt far beyond the immediate spot. Those present said the sound was audible around three kilometres away, and for many it felt as if a bomb had been detonated next to their ears. Some people still reported numbness in their ears five hours after the incident.

The nearby four-storey building suffered heavy structural damage. Dozens of homes within roughly 100 metres lost their window glass, and multiple vehicles parked in the area were also damaged.

Officials respond

The district administration, police and fire brigade reached the scene soon after the incident and launched relief and rescue operations. Working alongside PNG company engineers, the fire brigade eventually controlled the blaze, and relief activities followed.

Police took the body of the deceased into custody and dispatched it for postmortem. The locality remains in a state of disarray in the aftermath of the accident.