Ludhiana : A gas cylinder exploded in a labour colony in Giaspura area here on Thursday morning, injuring 29 persons, five of whom were stated to be critical.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Dharmpal and SDM (East) Amarjit Singh Bains told reporters that the cylinder explosion took place in a house belonging to a man identified as Ashok Kumar in Smart Colony.

The gas cylinder caught fire. As Ashok, his wife and some neighbours tried to put out the flames, the cylinder exploded causing injuries to those who had gathered around the spot.

A portion of the building also collapsed.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bains said the injured included Ashok, his wife and a few women and children.

He said the injured have been rushed to nearby hospitals.

Smart Colony is home to migrant labourers.

The name of the injured are Yaswant Singh, Shashi Singh, Gobind, Ramnaresh, Pooja Yadav,  Sunita, Ashok Yadav, Surinder, Raj, Kajal, Kamlesh, Bittu  Rajan, Uttam,  Amit, Rakesh Kumar,  Dharminder,  Anjun Devi,  Varinder,  Amarnath,  Shivam,  Mamta, Shiv Sharma, Aeganiya Yadav, Meena Devi, Parmod Parsad, Mahommad Ali, Pawan Kumar and Prince Kumar.