Two screenshots of the CCTV footage show the sequence of events. On the left it is visible that the car is being filled with CNG while the one on the right captures the moment after the explosion. (Express photo)
A car being refuelled with compressed natural gas (CNG)exploded without warning at a fuel station on National Highway-48 near Karjan in Vadodara district of Gujarat, showering a large area with debris and shattered glass, leaving two nearby vehicles badly damaged, and triggering a wave of panic among fuel station staff, customers, and bystanders.
No one was, however, injured in the explosion that took place on Thursday (October 1) afternoon. The driver of the vehicle had stepped out of it as it was being refuelled, thus averting a potentially serious accident at the station which is usually busy.
Under safety rules enforced by regulatory authorities such as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board, it is mandatory for occupants of a CNG vehicle to step out of the vehicle when it is being refuelled.
This is because CNG is typically filled into the vehicle’s cylinders at a very high pressure of 200-220 bar, which is 20-40 times higher than a domestic cooking gas (LPG) cylinder, and 70-100 times the pressure of a car tyre. This enormous pressure puts great mechanical stress on the cylinder, valves, and pipes involved.
The incident took place at a CNG station opposite Jindal Company in Karjan. The explosion that ripped through the vehicle destroyed its rear section and sent fragments of metal flying several metres away.
Visuals from the scene, captured on CCTV camera, show the car engulfed in a cloud of dust, smoke, and debris, and people trying to move quickly away from the vehicle.
The reason for the blast is yet to be established. Two days after the incident, police were still investigating whether the explosion was linked to a failure in the vehicle’s CNG system, or whether there was a problem with the vehicle itself, or perhaps an issue relating to the refuelling process.
Story continues below this ad
“We are registering a Janva Jog (Station Diary entry) and investigating the possible cause behind this blast. We will check if the owner had followed the necessary safety measures needed for the upkeep of the vehicle. If there are any lapses in the case, we will decide the further action,” Vadodara Superintendent of Police Sushilkumar Agrawal told The Indian Express.
Police have also requested the help of forensics experts to examine the vehicle and submit its findings to help establish whether the blast originated in the vehicle’s CNG cylinder or another component of the fuel system.
SP Agrawal said, “We have called in the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to examine the vehicle and submit a report. If required, we will also write to the manufacturer of the vehicle and issue a general advisory for the public as needed.”
The owner of a CNG pump in Vadodara city told this newspaper that a vehicle’s tank can burst during filling due to the extreme high-pressure stress on a cylinder if it has an unrectified damage or corrosion, or if the vehicle has been fitted with an unauthorised CNG kit.
Story continues below this ad
Many owners of petrol and diesel vehicles retrofit their cars to run on CNG in order to bring down operational costs, but the kit must be authorised by government authorities.
“CNG vehicles use high-pressure cylinders to store the gas and are subject to prescribed safety and maintenance requirements. Any failure involving the cylinder, valves, connecting components or fuel delivery system can have serious consequences, making the circumstances of the Karjan incident a matter of particular concern. If it is an unauthorised kit that fails under the bar pressure of the filling pump, it can explode. Vehicle owners must opt for company fitted pumps only,” the owner of the pump said.
The incident has also prompted the authorities to consider whether a broader safety advisory may be required for CNG vehicle owners, depending on the findings of the investigation.
Agrawal said that the decision on whether or not to issue an advisory would be taken after investigations.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
