Fatehpur: At least nine people sustained critical burn injuries after a gas leak triggered a massive explosion inside a house in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, officials said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday night in Pilkhini village under the Kalyanpur police station limits when a gas leak from a cylinder pipe reportedly caused a fire and explosion inside a two-room house.

According to officials, six members of the family who were inside the house at the time suffered severe burn injuries, while three others were injured during rescue attempts after rushing into the burning structure.

Police teams and ambulances reached the spot soon after the incident and shifted the injured to Malwan Medical College for treatment. Due to the critical condition of several victims, eight of them were later referred to hospitals in Kanpur.

The authorities also created a green corridor to ensure the injured were transported quickly for advanced treatment.

Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik, who inspected the site, said, "The preliminary investigation indicated that the incident was caused by a gas leak from a cylinder. The cylinder itself did not explode."

He added, "The administration has deployed an inspector and a sub-inspector in Kanpur to ensure that the injured receive the best possible treatment. The District Magistrate and police administration are continuously monitoring the situation."

Officials said the explosion took place around 9 p.m. when Kalawati, the wife of Santosh Lodhi, was cooking dinner. A leak reportedly developed in the gas pipe, and before the family could respond, the accumulated gas caught fire, causing a powerful blast inside the house.

Kalawati was among the first to suffer burn injuries. Hearing screams from the house, relatives and neighbours rushed in to rescue those trapped, but several rescuers also sustained serious burns.

The injured were identified as Sajan, Sulekha, Sanjay, Sunita, Rita, Soni and a neighbour named Karan, among others.

Villagers gathered immediately after the blast and helped control the fire before emergency teams arrived. They also assisted in rescuing the injured from the damaged house.

Kalyanpur police station in-charge Sumit Dev Pandey said, "The injured have been referred to Hallett Hospital, Kanpur. Other officers are present at the spot, and the matter is being investigated."

Police and district administration officials are continuing their probe into the incident while monitoring the condition of the injured undergoing treatment in Kanpur.