Three killed in steel furnace explosion in Silvassa

SURAT: At least, three workers were killed and two others critically

injured

in a huge

explosion

in the iron melting furnace of a steel manufacturing company in Dadra and Nagar Haveli (DNH) on Thursday.


The accident occurred at about 2:30am in the furnace plant of Krishna Steel company owned by Pavan Kumar Agarwal at Kanadi Fatak in

Silvassa

’s Naroli area. The reason behind the blast is not yet known. Police sources said the blast may have occurred due to increase in the melting pressure in the furnace.

The five workers were working six feet away from the furnace when the blast occurred. While three workers died on the spot, two critically injured were rushed to Vinobabhave Civil Hospital.

Deceased Rajkumar Gupta, Vijay Gupta and Tilak Ram hailed from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Pradip Yadav and Raja Ram, who sustained severe burn injuries, were now being taken to Mumbai for further treatment.

It took more than eight hours for firefighters to control the fire.

Silvassa police have registered a case under section 304 part II, 337 and 338 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Silvassa police inspector KB Mahajan told TOI, “Prima facie investigation suggests that the owner did not take precautions to avert accident of this magnitude. The owner failed to carry out periodic investigation of the furnace. We have added IPC section 304 Part II IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the owner. The factory owner will be arrested and produced before the court shortly.”