Srinagar, May 5: At least three civilians, assisting in a firefighting operation, have sustained injuries in a gas cylinder blast during a massive fire incident in Baghdadi Restaurant here in Shalteng in City outskirts on Wednesday evening.

An official said that the fire broke out in the upper part of the three-storey Restaurant this evening and soon spread to take a major portion of the structure under its control. Upon intimation, the Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) sent fire tenders which, according to the official, were joined by the locals present there to douse off the raging flames. “The rescue operation was hampered to a greater extent as nearly two dozen gas cylinders went off intermittently during the inferno”, the official said adding that at least three persons suffered injuries on being present at the time of one such blast.”

A Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) employee has in the meantime also sustained foot injuries by some piercing object, he said.

Meanwhile a Fire and Emergency (F&ES) Emergency official said the operation proved a challenge as at least twenty-five gas cylinders blasted during the massive fire. A major tragedy was however averted as there were nearly a hundred gas cylinders which were saved after hectic efforts put by the personnel.