A gas pipeline burst during drain excavation work in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, setting off a loud blast, a fast spreading leak and a wave of panic that left five schoolgirls unconscious. The incident took place in Rohua village under the jurisdiction of Mushahri police station, where a JCB machine was digging a drain when the pipe suddenly gave way.
How the pipeline came to burst
The excavation was being carried out under the supervision of the government agency BUDCO to lay a drain in the area. While the JCB was digging, the gas pipeline suddenly burst with a sound loud enough to startle everyone nearby. Gas began escaping at speed, and within moments it had spread across the neighbourhood.
Eyewitnesses describe scenes of panic
People who witnessed the incident said the digging was proceeding normally until the sudden, explosion like sound rang out, after which gas surged out of the broken pipe. Locals described a haze settling over the area soon after, forcing many to run for safety without knowing what had happened.
Five schoolgirls faint at nearby campus
The leak hit hardest at the nearby Vishram Singh Plus-2 School, where five girl students inside the campus inhaled the gas and collapsed. They were rushed to the Mushahri Primary Health Centre (PHC) for emergency treatment. As a precaution, a neighbouring middle school was also given an immediate holiday so no other student would be exposed to the gas.
Fire brigade and IOCL team rush to the spot
After preliminary treatment, doctors decided all five girls needed better care and sent them to Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH). Mushahri police reached the site as soon as the incident was reported. Officials from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) also arrived quickly and began work to seal the leak, while several fire brigade vehicles were stationed nearby given the risk of a fire breaking out.
Investigation into safety lapses begins
Efforts to bring the leak fully under control were continuing. Police and the relevant department are trying to determine whether safety norms were followed during the excavation and exactly how the pipeline came to be damaged. The local administration has appealed to residents to stay away from the affected area and not give credence to rumours doing the rounds.
