Seven persons were injured when a fire engulfed a house at Jyatha of Thamel in the Capital on Tuesday morning.

According to the Metropolitan Police Circle, Durbarmarg, the fire broke out at the trekking gear shop of Pemba Dorje Sherpa, possibly due to excessive heat in a jet machine, and soon covered the four-storey house belonging to Suman Sthapit.

The fire turned into an inferno after around 25 oxygen cylinders kept at the shop of Sherpa started exploding. While the explosions terrorised locals, trekking equipment and clothes were burnt down.

“I was in deep sleep, and heard the explosion. I couldn’t think more than jumping from the first floor,” said Ajay Shrestha, 41, who sustained minor injuries in the incident.

Four of the injured are undergoing treatment at the Mahankal-based Trauma Centre while three returned home after receiving primary treatment at the same health facility.

“Following the incident, locals were left panic-stricken and started jumping from roof to roof to save their lives,” said DSP Dan Bahadur Malla. Later, police and locals rescued around 18 people from the incident site.

DSP Malla said houses belonging to Ajay Raj Sthapit and Gautam Tuladhar were partially damaged in the blaze.

Meanwhile, Kathmandu Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya reached the Trauma Centre to take stock of the injured persons and to assure them of necessary help from the metropolis.

The fire came under control at 6am. DSP Malla said property worth around Rs50 million was destroyed in the fire.