One injured as underground diesel tank explodes and catches fire in Jhapa

Jhapa, October 26, 2026 — One person was injured after an underground diesel storage tank exploded and caught fire while fuel was being loaded into a tipper truck at the premises of Parvati Ambika Construction Company in Tekra, Shivasatakshi Municipality-10, Jhapa, on Sunday evening.

The incident occurred at around 7:30 pm while diesel was being transferred from the underground tank into a tipper truck bearing registration number Province 1-01-001 Ka 1800. The tank contained approximately 9,500 litres of light diesel at the time of the explosion.

The fire injured the truck driver, 35-year-old Kofiyat Rai, a resident of Mangsebung Rural Municipality-3 in Ilam district. Police said his condition was normal.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Ranjan Awale of the Jhapa District Police Office, the tipper sustained minor damage, while all the diesel stored in the tank was destroyed in the fire.

Police personnel, a fire engine from Shivasatakshi Municipality and company employees responded to the incident and prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding area. However, the fire was brought under control only at around 5:30 am on Monday, police said.

The cause of the explosion and the full extent of the damage have yet to be determined, Awale said.