A 10-year-old boy and his grandmother were killed and five members of their family injured on Tuesday night when a cooking gas cylinder exploded and their home crumbled in the impact at Bahadurpur in West Burdwan.

The deceased were Rupam Mandal, a Class V student, and Malati Mandal, 53.

Jamuria police said Rupam was declared dead on arrival by doctors at Asansol district hospital, whereas Malati succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday morning. The five injured included Rupam’s mother Chinta Mandal, 35, and father Goutam Mandal, 40, who were admitted to the Asansol district hospital.

Sources said Chinta Mandal and her mother-in-law were cooking in the kitchen when the explosion occurred around 9pm.

“We were startled by the sudden noise of the explosion. I came out of my house and saw Mandal’s house collapsed and smoke billowing out of the debris,” said neighbour Dukkhoharan Mandal.

“The injured were rushed to a nearby health centre and from there all of them were referred to Asansol district hospital,” said a source.

The police said prima facie, the LPG cylinder had caught fire while cooking and had triggered the explosion. “We did not find any foul play or any explosives at the spot,” said an investigating officer.

A group of local residents blocked a road and demonstrated outside the health centre alleging inadequate healthcare facilities.

“There is no doctor or oxygen cylinders or minimum healthcare facility at the health centre. We have to go to the Asansol district hospital or private doctors for even minor treatments,” said a villager. .