An LPG cylinder caught fire during midday-meal preparation at Upgraded Middle School in Samaldih, Koderma district, on Wednesday, injuring the headmaster and forcing the evacuation of all 188 students present on the campus.
The incident occurred around 11.30 am in Satgawan block while cooking was under way. The meal was being prepared on the school verandah because the school does not have a dedicated kitchen shed, according to officials cited in the report.
The fire reportedly began after a cook detected a gas leak while attaching the regulator to the cylinder. Before the leak could be contained, the gas came into contact with a coal stove burning about 1.5 metres away, causing the cylinder to catch fire.
Headmaster Sunil Kumar suffered minor burns to his hands while attempting to extinguish the flames with wet jute bags. Teachers evacuated the students safely from the premises. The school has a total enrolment of 224 students, while 188 were present when the incident took place.
The cylinder continued to burn for approximately 30 to 45 minutes before the fire died out after the gas was exhausted. Administrative officials, including the block development officer, reached the school after the incident. Kumar received first aid at Satgawan Hospital.
The incident has brought attention to the safety risks created when school meal cooking takes place in non-dedicated spaces. A kitchen shed can separate cooking activity, fuel storage and open areas used by children, but the Samaldih school was using its verandah for the meal preparation because such a facility was not available.
Koderma deputy commissioner Utkarsh Gupta directed the district superintendent of education to submit a detailed report on the incident. Gupta also said functioning fire extinguishers would be provided to schools. The report and the proposed installation of fire extinguishers are the next administrative steps identified after the fire.
