Drunk man arrested for starting fire at petrol pump station for a dare

Things got heated up at a petrol pump station in Hyderabad when a man in an inebriated state lit a fire there on Saturday.

According to a report by NDTV, on Saturday evening, the man named Chiran arrived at a petrol pump in an inebriated state with a lighter in his hand.

Arun, an employee at the petrol pump asked Chiran if he was planning to use it to start a fire. He soon started nagging Chiran and challenged him to light it up if he "had the guts" to do so.

In order to prove Arun wrong, the accused Chiran sparked up the lighter while a nearby scooter was getting petrol. As the highly flammable fuel caught fire, flames shot out.

Around 10 to 12 people who were standing nearby, including a mother and daughter, narrowly escaped being burnt by the flames.

Both Arun and Chiran have been arrested by the police.

"This dangerous act not only put lives at risk but could have caused a catastrophic explosion, especially in this crowded area with heavy traffic," Inspector G Rudvir Kumar, Nacharam Police, said.