Ranchi: A family of four, including two children, had a close shave on Friday night when the compressor of their refrigerator exploded at their Badapahadi residence in Chutia, burning household items and raising a scare in the residential locality.

Around 9.30pm, Sudhir Kumar, a small-time contractor, and his children were watching TV in the bedroom while his wife was cooking in the kitchen when the compressor of the refrigerator in the drawing room, exploded.

"The blast jolted us. I immediately took my kids, aged 4 and 11 years, and wife out of the house. Then I rushed to the kitchen, disconnected the cylinder, and brought it outside. By then, the blast had sparked off a big fire and burnt the cupboard and curtains," Kumar said.

He added the blaze was doused in 30 minutes after neighbours trooped in with buckets of water. According to Kumar, the losses were estimated to be around Rs 1 lakh

Neighbour Saket Kumar said the incident could have turned into a major mishap had people not swung into action promptly. "It's a congested locality with a narrow road and houses attached to each other," he said.

The family hasn't lodged any complaint with the police.

An official of Hatia-based India Tech Engineering which deals with air-conditioner and fridge repairs said the blast could have happened because of two reasons.

"First, the gas in the compressor might have been refilled beyond capacity if the fridge had been repaired recently. Second, voltage fluctuations could have led to the blast. Another reason could have been the refrigerator being placed in a corner causing it to become overheated. Refrigerators should always be placed in a way that there is space for proper air circulation," the expert suggested.