A 26-year-old man from Bihar died and nine others were injured after a furnace used to smelt metals exploded due to excessive heat at a private metal smelting plant in the Tamil Nadu State Industries Promotion Corporation (SIPCOT) industrial area in Chennai’s Tiruvallur district, police said on Tuesday.
A senior fire department official said: “Two fire engines were rushed into service and the fire was extinguished within an hour. The victim died instantly due to the impact of the explosion.”
According to the police, the accident occurred around 10 a.m. and the deceased suffered serious burns. Of the nine who were injured, four were from Bihar and five were from Tamil Nadu, police said.
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An investigating officer at SIPCOT police station said that those injured were taken to the district government hospital for treatment.
The body of the deceased has been sent to the government hospital in Puneri for autopsy, an officer said.
He added that a case has been booked and further investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, while offering his condolences to the family of the deceased, announced an amount of Rs $2 lakh will be released to the bereaved from the Prime Minister’s General Relief Fund.
Officials from revenue, police, workers welfare departments and the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health have been directed to visit the site and take necessary action, he said in an official statement.
As the Prime Minister ordered $1 lakh was released to the three workers who were seriously injured in the process $50,000 for the six who sustained minor injuries.
The statement added that Vijay issued orders to transfer the victim’s remains to his state at government expense.
