Nepali Congress leader Chandra Bhandari and his mother Harikala lived on the ground floor of a two-and-a-half-story house at Buddhanagar in New Baneshwar in Kathmandu.
Harikala, 86, first knew about the cooking gas leakage and called her son Bhandari. It was around 10 pm yesterday.
Both the son and mother went into the kitchen. No sooner Bhandari switched on the light, than the gas cylinder exploded, said SP Sitaram Rijal, the spokesperson at the District Police Range, Kathmandu.
Both the son and mother sustained burn injuries. Bhandari sustained less injuries compared to her mother since he was a bit far away from the gas cylinder.
Injured Bhandari and her mother were immediately ferried to Burn Hospital in Kirtipur for treatment.
Doctors at Kirtipur Hospital said the condition of Bhandari’s mother was critical since 70 percent of her body was burnt.
“Lawmaker Bhandari’s both hands and legs were burnt up to 25 to 30 percent and around 70 percent of his mother’s body was burnt. Both of them might have inhaled hot smoke,” said the hospital this morning.
Harikala succumbed to her injuries at 10:58 am. Lawmaker Bhandari’s condition is also critical according to the doctor attending to him.
Kirtipur Hospital has referred Bhandari to take him to Burn Center in Mumbai, for further treatment.
Shree Airlines has been reserved to airlift him to Mumbai. Bhandari is the Member of the House of Representatives representing Gulmi 1.
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