LPG cylinders blast triggers fire at labour shelter in Coimbatore
A fire caused by exploding LPG cylinders destroyed approximately 70 sheds at a migrant labour shelter in Coimbatore. No injuries or casualties were reported, and police are currently investigating the incident and safety compliance at the site.
Why it matters
The incident highlights critical safety and living condition concerns for migrant workers in industrial hubs.
LPG cylinders burst at a temporary labour shelter on Avinashi Road near the Nava India bus stop here on Saturday (August 29, 2026), triggering a fire that destroyed around 70 sheds. No casualties or injuries were reported.
The shelter, owned by a private construction firm, housed more than 400 migrant workers. Officials said that the fire broke out when an LPG cylinder burst when the three workers were preparing tea. The flames quickly spread to adjoining sheds, triggering explosions of other cylinders, officials said.
More than 40 firefighters from South, North, Peelamedu and Ganapathy stations fought the blaze. It is said that around 25 to 30 cylinders exploded and over 30 damaged cylinders were removed from the site to avert further explosions.
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