Two quality control technicians were killed and the director of a firm dealing with essential oils was seriously injured, when a hydrogen cylinder exploded at the plant located at industrial estate near Madanapalle on Tuesday.
According to information, the Madanapalle-based private firm dealing with export of essential oils, which used send samples for quality check to Bengaluru or Puducherry, purchased a quality check machine (gas chromatograph) in view of COVID-19 lockdown.
A technician from Bengaluru, Ninganna (47), a resident of Bijapur, had come to Madanapalle to install the machine. Shaik Nayaz (37), a native of Punganur, was called to assist Ninganna in the task.
When the technicians were installing the machine, a huge blast took place, killing Ninganna on the spot and critically injuring Shaik Nayaz . The firm director, Siva Mahesh (40), a native of Madanapalle, who was at a distance was also injured seriously. Nayaz died while being shifted to SVRR Hospital in Tirupati. The condition of the other injured was said to be stable. The machinery and its enclosure were were totally damaged.
A factory official reportedly told the police that the blast occurred when the technicians were connecting the cylinders of hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen to the quality checking machine. Senior police officials visited the spot. A complaint was registered and further investigation is on.