Odisha: Gas pipeline burst sparks panic in Cuttack
A gas pipeline burst in Cuttack's CDA Sector 9 on Monday, sending gas shooting up to 50 feet and causing a scare near a petrol pump.
The leak happened during construction work with heavy machinery, even though warning signs were posted.
Locals and officials urged people to vacate the area and emergency teams cordoned it off; no casualties were reported.
Why does this matter?
People nearby acted fast—alerting others, clearing the area, and making sure no one did anything risky like lighting cigarettes or using phones.
"No one used a mobile phone, no vehicle passed through the area, and no one lit a cigarette," said a local corporator.
Now, residents are asking tough questions about whether the construction was even allowed so close to the pipeline, why trees were cut down without approval, and if safety rules for laying pipelines are being followed at all.
This whole episode is a wake-up call about how urban safety checks sometimes get ignored—and why that needs to change.