Vijayanagar: The tragic gas cylinder explosion that occurred on September 27 at Gadiganur village in Hosapete taluk has claimed two more lives, taking the death toll to four. On Friday night, Kavitha (30) and Mailarappa (45) succumbed to burn injuries at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, where they had been undergoing treatment.

Earlier on Friday morning, advocate Halappa and his mother Gangamma had passed away due to severe burn injuries. Their bodies were brought back to Gadiganur the same evening and cremated amid grief-stricken relatives and villagers. The fresh deaths of Kavitha — Halappa’s wife — and Mailarappa have come as another devastating blow to the families already reeling from loss.

Their bodies are expected to reach the village by Saturday evening for the final rites.

The explosion occurred around 5:15 a.m. on September 27 when Kavitha tried to light the stove after turning on the gas cylinder. A leak in the cylinder led to a powerful blast, engulfing the house in flames. Eleven people, including several members of the same family, were injured.

The injured were first rushed to Sanjeevini Hospital in Toranagal, and those critically injured were later shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru for advanced treatment.

The house belonged to advocate Halappa and was located near the Ballari National Highway. At the time of the explosion, about ten family members were inside the house. The blast was so powerful that it destroyed nearly 60% of the structure, leaving it uninhabitable.

Police said the victims included Kavitha (30), Halappa (42), Gangamma (63), Mailarappa (45), Mallamma (40), Kaveri (18), Kavya (15), and Nikhil (13).

Fire and police personnel from Hosapete rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the alert and helped rescue the injured, preventing further casualties.

Preliminary reports suggest that Kavitha was preparing for Navaratri puja and had turned on the gas after a long gap.

The leaked gas filled the house, and the moment she lit the stove, it triggered the explosion. The walls of the house cracked, and the roof partially collapsed.

Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, along with MLAs Krishnanaik and N.T. Srinivas, visited the victims in hospital and the explosion site. “One two-year-old child has suffered around 70% burns, while five others have sustained less than 40% injuries.

Two children have suffered minor burns of about 15% and are out of danger,” Minister Khan said after his visit.Police have registered a case and are continuing investigations into the cause of the gas leak.