Surat: Police on August 4 ruled out LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder as the cause of the blast that triggered the massive building collapse in Varachcha area of the city on August 3, claiming 43 lives, and said they were probing other reasons for the explosion.

"Senior officials of the Indian Oil Company (IOC) who investigated the incident spot said the blast had not occurred due to LPG cylinders as they were intact," additional commissioner of police Mohan Jha said.

"Officials including the forensic team is probing other reasons, like over-heating of the electric furnace, that could have caused the blast," Jha said.

He said it was not yet possible to cite the exact cause of the blast but "over heating of the electric furnace, pressure, mishandling and poor maintenance and leakage were being probed".

Jha said investigation proved that the unit worked 24 hours especially at night and there was no respite to the machines and equipment.

He said that major part of the rescue and relief work was over and salvage work was going on and officials were still present at the spot in case any more bodies are recovered.

Besides 43 deaths, the blast also left several others injured, including two in a critical condition at a government hospital.

PTI