Kannur:  One person was killed    and nearly 33 sustained injured, 17 of them critically when an LPG tanker caught fire and exploded on the NH near the temple at Chala on August 27 Monday. The blast also left several shops and houses gutted. The authorities have also evacuated people living in the vicinity as a precautionary measure.

The injured have been shifted to the Pariyaram Medical College Hospital and Medical College Hospital Kozhikode.

The mishap took place when the LPG tanker which was on way to Talachery from Kannur overturned while negotiating a curve near the Chala temple at around 10.45 pm. The gas leakage led to the explosion and in minutes there was fire everywhere.

The fate of the tanker driver and cleaner is not known. Some reports say that the two might have alighted from the vehicle on sensing gas leakage. The power supply to the area was also cut off and the road remained unmotorable for several hours.