Noida: Two men out to have tea near the multi-level parking lot in Sector 18 market sustained severe burns following an explosion in a transformer they were standing next to on Friday. The incident triggered panic in one of the city’s busiest markets, lined with commercial complexes and retail stores, located next to the Radisson Blu and the DLF Mall of India, and known for its heavy daily footfall.The victims, Vijay Kumar (23) of Sector 44 and Harsh (33) of Delhi’s Ashok Nagar, work at a fashion retail store at DLF Mall. According to police, around 4pm the two had gone out to have tea near the parking lot when there was an explosion in a transformer unit next to it. Burning oil, which spilt from the transformer after the blast, fell on the two men standing nearby, leaving them severely scalded.Both suffered 50% burns and were shifted to Safdarjung Hospital for advanced treatment after being initially rushed to Kailash Hospital. Doctors said both remain in critical condition. Jatin, who was nearby at the time, said he saw the men standing and talking moments before the blast. “There was a sudden explosion, and two of them were set ablaze. One collapsed immediately, while the other ripped off his burning shirt and ran,” he said.Bystanders attempted to help before emergency services arrived. “Some tried to extinguish the flames by pouring water on the man who had collapsed on the road. Later, someone brought a fire extinguisher and put out the flames,” Jatin said. The men were later taken to a hospital in an auto-rickshaw.Chief fire officer Pradeep Kumar Choubey said when the fire services reached the spot, they found that while the transformer, located at an elevated level, was not on fire, two men standing underneath had been burnt by the oil spill. The transformer was cooled to avert danger, he added. The transformer was inspected by officials from the Noida power department. Chief engineer (power department) Sanjay Kumar Jain said there was a spark in a CTPT (current transformer and potential transformer) unit mounted on a double pole to supply power to the parking complex that led to a minor oil drip. “This is a small metering unit, not a transformer. The spark caused some oil to leak, but there was no explosion,” he said.CTPT units are integrated metering devices used on high-voltage lines, typically between 11kV and 33kV. They are designed to measure and regulate electricity by reducing high current and voltage levels to standard, measurable limits for billing and system protection.Superintending engineer Vivek Kumar Patel said the unit in Sector 18 was being used solely to monitor the power supply to the multi-level parking facility. Jain said the power department had not received any report of critical injuries so far. He added that in cases involving serious injuries, the matter is referred to the discom’s electrical safety department, which conducts an inquiry and determines compensation. No police complaint has been received so far.Meanwhile, Susheel Kumar Jain, president of the Sector 18 Market Association, alleged poor maintenance of electrical equipment in the area.—With inputs from Meenakshi Sinha
