2 workers killed in blast at cracker unit

KENDRAPADA: Two workers of an illegal cracker-making unit were killed and two sustained serious burn injuries in an explosion in Jagatsinghpur's Ichapur village under Balikuda police station limits on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased were identified as Dilip Mohanty, 46, and Bulu Das, 42, of Ichapur.
The injured, Susant Prusti and Dinabandhu Prusti, were first admitted to the PHC in Balikuda. When their condition became critical, they were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack.
The explosion was so powerful that a major portion of the roof of the three-room asbestos house was blown off.
The deceased and the injured along with others were making crackers for the upcoming marriage season when the incident took place, said IIC of Balikuda police station S K Pradhan. Police seized chemical substances from the blast site and sent those for testing.
Police have filed a case under sections 3 and 5 of Indian Explosive Substances Act and under sections- 286 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 337 (Whoever causes hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life, or the personal safety of others), among others.
Fire often breaks out in cracker-making units, particularly those set up illegally because of poor safety standards.
Following the accident, many illegal cracker makers of the village and its neighbouring areas have fled.