BMC's demolition drive goes awry after cylinder explosion spreads blaze through hutments outside station; locals blame civic officials, but firemen say short circuit may be responsible

A demolition drive in the early afternoon yesterday at Bandra East's Garib Nagar slums exploded, quite literally, with a massive fire starting in the area and raging on till late in the evening. Locals have alleged that BMC officials, during the drive, didn't pay attention to the gas cylinders inside hutments, leading to one exploding and causing the blaze.