Rewari factory blast: 5 workers succumb to injuries

Five workers injured in a boiler blast at a spare parts manufacturing unit in Rewari’s Dharuhera succumbed to their injuries, while the condition of 10 workers is said to be critical, the police said.

Around 40 workers suffered burn injuries in the blast at the manufacturing facility in the Dharuhera industrial area on Saturday (March 16), the police said. The blast occurred at a manufacturing unit named Life Long Company in Dharuhera.

Three workers died during treatment at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, and two succumbed to burn injuries at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.

Inspector Jagdish Chander of Rewari police said that deceased have been identified as Ajay, 32, Vijay, 37, Ramu, 27, Rajesh, 38, and Pankaj, 35, all residents of Uttar Pradesh.

“At least 40 workers had suffered burn injuries and five among them had died. Three died at PGIMS on Tuesday night and two at Delhi hospital on Wednesday. As many as 10 workers were admitted to the Rewari Civil hospital’s Trauma Centre, more than 20 workers to the PGIMS, Rohtak, four to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi and others at Dharuhera here. Five workers admitted at Dharuhera civil hospital and one from PGIMS, Rohtak, was discharged,” he added.

He said that the situation of 10 workers is said to be critical.

Dharuhera police on Sunday had registered a case against a contractor and others in connection with the boiler incident on the basis of a complaint filed by Raj Kumar, a labourer from Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district.

The complainant stated that he had been hired through Shivam, a contractor. Nearly 60-70 workers were present in the factory when there was a blast in the boiler dust collector.

“There had been a blast in the dust collector on two previous occasions though no one had suffered any injury then. The incident at that time had been brought to the notice of the factory’s contractor and other officials concerned and it was said that attention should be paid to its proper repair as it could lead to an untoward incident in the future,” Raj Kumar said in his complaint.

“But they remained negligent in the matter and no attention was paid. Had the boiler unit been properly maintained and cleaned, the incident could have been averted,” he added.

Manoj Kumar, an injured factory worker, told reporters that the blast occurred when several employees were on duty.

Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini had ordered a probe under a sub-divisional magistrate into the incident.The CM also announced ₹5 lakh ex gratia to next of kin killed in boiler blast case and ₹50,000 to ₹ 2 lakh to those injured based on the percentage of injuries after meeting the family members of the deceased at the PGIMS.