A 24-year-old CNG station employee died after a refuelling hose burst and its nozzle struck him on the head at a petrol pump on the Sakchi-Kalimati road late on Thursday.
Tushar Khamri was on night duty and filling CNG into a car when the hose burst with a loud bang, pump employees said. The detached nozzle hit him on the head, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to Tata Main Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, his uncle Gangadhar Khamri said.
The incident triggered panic among employees and customers, who ran to safety, with some leaving their vehicles behind amid fears of a larger explosion involving the fuel pumps.
A major gas leak followed. A GAIL technical team reached the station and stopped the leak after considerable effort. Golmuri police also arrived at the spot.
Tushar’s family has demanded compensation from the pump operator, saying he was the sole breadwinner.
Former BJP member Vikash Singh also sought adequate compensation and registration of a murder case against the pump operator. He threatened to launch a fast unto death if the demands were not met.
Golmuri police station officer in-charge Sanjay Suman could not be contacted. Police officers said no FIR had been registered so far.
GAIL Jamshedpur circle general manager Gauri Shankar Mishra said the pump was owned by BPCL and company officials were investigating the incident. “The cause would be known after a technical probe,” he said
