HYDERABAD — At least five workers were killed and 10 others injured in a blast in a factory in Telangana's Rangareddy district on Friday, officials said.
The blast occurred in South Glass Private Ltd on the outskirts of Shadnagar town, about 55 km from Hyderabad.
According to officials, a compressor exploded at the factory resulting in the fire. Firefighting personnel rushed to the spot and doused the fire. Police and firefighters undertook rescue and relief operations.
Horrific visuals were seen at the spot as body parts of the deceased were found strewn around.
The injured were shifted to a hospital and the condition of some of them was stated to be critical. Rangareddy Collector K. Shashank visited the accident site. He said the preliminary probe shows the blast occurred as the safety valve of the compressor was not working.
The deceased and injured workers are said to be migrants from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
Leaders of the All India Trade Union Congress demanded that the management pay compensation of INR 20 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who is in Delhi, directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, he asked the Collector and officials of Revenue, Police and other departments to focus on relief works.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao expressed shock over the death of workers in the blast. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the swift recovery of those injured.
He appealed to the state government to immediately conduct a thorough safety audit and review disaster management plans in all industrial areas to prevent any recurrence.