Cases of LPG injuries rise in Delhi; multiple burns in each: Study

Over half of all the flame burn injuries reported in a Central Delhi hospital were due to household LPG leak, with most of the incidents resulting in burns and smoke inhalation injuries in more than one person, according to a study between 2016 and 2020 by doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. The share of LPG burns – among all flame burns reported at the hospital – has gone up from 0.1% during the initial round of study between 1993 and 2000.

This share rose to 10% in the second round of the study between 2001 and 2007 and 27% between 2007 and 2011.

“This could be because of the increase in the use of LPG cylinders and phasing out of kerosene chullahs due to the government policies. However, there is a need to increase awareness on how to handle the gas stove and LPG; the lack of knowledge puts one at an increased risk of burn injuries,” said burns and plastics surgeon Dr Samik Bhattacharya, who was earlier working at the Maulana Azad Medical College, who has been studying the burns data at the hospitals 1993 through 2020 in four rounds.