Bengaluru: Gelatin stick blast triggers panic in HAL staff quarters

BENGALURU: A gelatin stick triggered a massive blast in the high-security HAL staff quarters near LB Shastri Nagar on Tuesday evening, triggering panic.  The blast occurred in an empty area where the works for the foundation of residential quarters for HAL employees was underway but suspended for a few months. Around 4 pm on Tuesday, the residents of the LB Shastri Nagar heard a loud blast and felt tremors.

The residents and HAL authorities rushed to the blast spot and found that a part of the earth which was being used as a dumping yard had caved in and a water tank kept near the dumping site completely destroyed due to the impact.  mInitially, the residents suspected sabotage, but DCP (Whitefield) Abdul Ahad said that the blast was triggered by a gelatin stick which was accidentally left behind by workers after blasting rocks while digging for the foundation of the quarters. 

“The preliminary investigation by the Anti-Sabotage Squad and Bomb Squad revealed that there was no sign of sabotage on the HAL premises and that the blast was due to negligence,” Mr Ahad said. The investigation revealed that the blast took place at a dump yard after some unknown people tried to burn garbage and the fire activated the gelatin stick lying beneath the garbage. Luckily, no casualties were reported, the police said. A case has been registered at the HAL police station and the police have asked the BDDS squad and FSL experts to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report.