Five Killed Outside Plant, Three Injured Inside Plant by Explosion...

Here is a recent story of an explosion in India.

Five people were killed and three injured after a blast took place in an industrial unit's hydraulic machine in 

Sakinaka during the week of March 31, 2013 at around 2:00 AM. An accidental death report was registered in a nearby police station.

Four fire engines and three ambulances were rushed to the spot after a fire broke out in the unit following the explosion. Deputy Commissioner said, "Preliminary investigation revealed that the blast took place in hydraulic machine due to excess nitrogen gas. It started spreading all around in the aluminium factory and this created pressure and caused the blast."

The victims were rushed to a local hospital at around 5:3- AM where five patients from the same family, who resided in a shanty next to the industrial unit, were declared dead on arrival. However one of the family members, a male (30 years old), managed to escape with minor injuries.

The other two patients, working in the factory and living in its premises, sustained 95 per cent to 98 per cent burns, said an on-duty doctor at the local hospital.

Explaining what caused the blast, senior inspector with local police station said "The hydraulic machine's temperature capacity for nitrogen gas was 120 degree Celsius however, it increased to 200 degree Celcius and this caused the blast. Because of the blast, major part of the wall fell on the family (living in the shanty) while they were fast asleep. Five of them died on the spot."

He further said, "Police and fire brigade reached the spot within a few minutes after the incident. The five dead bodies were pulled out from the debris and the injured labourers were admited to the local hospital."

Police suspect the blast occurred due to negligence of the two labourers who were on night duty on the day of the incident. The police, however, were unable to take their statement as their condition is critical. Doctors say their chances of survival are nil as they sustained 50 per cent burns. 

An inspector said, "The investigations are going on and strict action will be taken against those responsible for the blast.

The area where the mishap tool place is basically an industrial one and the family (in the shanty) was allowed reside near the compound as a relative was a security guard of this area, said the landlord where the explosion took place.

The five patients who died were 60 years, 25 years, 35 years, 15, years, and 14 years. 

In his police statement, the only patient to survive after this unfortunate incident, was woken up after being trapped under the rubble and had to repeated yell out for help, before their bodies were dragged out of the wreckage. 

Doctors say the only patient to survive has sustained superficial burns to his right forearm and a few lacerations and abrasions across his body. His condition is stable as of now. 

The factory-owner who incurred losses worth lakhs of rupees said, "Nitrogen gas is used to melt the aluminium metal which we buy in bulk from the wholesaler and mould into the desired shape.I don't know how the blast took place as I left the factory at around 10 pm."

A factory owner whose Poly Vinyl Chloride factory is in the same one-story building, said, "I lost my machine and raw materials in blast as my office is on the first floor. The machine was worth Rs 13 lakh and raw materials cost us Rs 7 lakh."

A doctor from the forensic department of the local hospital said that the patients had sustained multiple fractures and trauma to various organs and succumbed mainly due to their head injuries. The ATS team, Crime Branch and DCP visited the spot the day after the accident to inspect the cause of the explosion.

Update

The fire officials said that the work of removing the debris is ongoing. "The investigation is on to ascertain the exact cause behind fire. But, it seems, prima facie, the explosion occurred due to aluminium casting pressure in an around 1000 sq ft area," said deputy chief fire officer. ATS officer on the spot said, "The workers would work there round the clock and hence due to the heat the machine exploded, so there is no terror angles."

A lakh is 100,000 Rupees. 1 lakh = $1828 USD.

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