TWELVE PERSONS were injured yesterday when a cooking gas cylinder exploded at a fast food outlet in the busy shopping area of Lane Plaza, Liguanea, St. Andrew.
The explosion shook the area at about 11 a.m., destroying sections of the building housing Juici Patties, which was occupied by employees and some members of the public.
The injured, including the manager of the patty outlet, were rushed to the University Hospital of the West Indies where six persons were admitted with burns and the others were treated and sent home.
Reports reaching The Gleaner are that a truck assigned to the state-owned Petroleum Company of Jamaica (Petcom) was delivering liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) into a new 100-gallon cylinder at the Juici Patties branch when the explosion was heard.
Kevin Morgan, an assistant chef at Juici Patties, said the smell of gas was prevalent some time before the explosion and this was reported to the manager.
However, he said shortly after the manager went to the door that led to the cylinders to investigate, he heard an explosion. She along with several members of her staff did not escape injury.
Sergeant A. Baker of the Half-Way Tree branch of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, said his investigation points to gas from three cylinders at the back of the building coming into contact with heat from the kitchen.
"It seems the extensive heat from the kitchen came in contact with the gas that fumigated in the air and caused the explosion." he told The Gleaner.
Admitted to the University Hospital with first- and second-degree burns are Vanora Lee, Tanisha Osbourne, Angeleta Brown, Dassiena Miller, Georgiana Brown and the office manager of the outlet, Christine Grant.
Last night, Minister of Mining and Energy, Anthony Hylton, said he has ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident and promised that the public would be advised of the outcome.
