At least four people were injured in a blast that occurred inside a scrap shop in Keating Road here on Sunday.
The incident took place at around 1pm. Of the four injured, two are employees of the scrap shop and the other two had been in the barber shop next door.
Police rushed to the spot, along with the fire service, bomb squad and K-9 unit.
Preliminary investigations, however, led them to believe that the blast occurred because the workers were trying to dismantle pressurised spray cans containing flammable liquid while either they or persons nearby were smoking, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtnger said.