A team of cooks had a lucky escape recently when a pressure cooker exploded in a government school kitchen in North Indian city of Chandigarh.

CCTV footage shows the cooker exploding and its lid flying off.

The boiling food was flung into the air and some of it fell on the cooks, who were preparing lunch for students.

“Most of the workers were wearing woollen clothes, which protected them from the boiling food,” said head teacher Asha Rani.

“The workers immediately secured the cylinders and averted a big accident,” she added.

However, one woman, who gave her name only as Reeta, received 15 per cent burn injuries after hot food fell on her and had to be hospitalised.

Rani said Reeta was out of danger and that her medical expenses would be paid by the government.