Ghaziabad: 3 workers killed in boiler blast, admin orders probe

An early morning explosion in a boiler unit at a rubber factory in Ghaziabad killed three workers and left one injured, police said on Friday. The intensity of the blast was so severe that sections of the factory’s wall collapsed, while scaffolding was bent outward by the force.

The explosion occurred around 3.45am at a unit of Nordstern Rubber and Rolls Private Limited near Bhojpur in Modinagar. Police identified the deceased as Avdhesh Kumar, 21, from Jahangirpur near Jewar; Yogendra Kumar, 48, from Bhojpur; and Anuj Kumar Prajapati, 27, from Modinagar. All were working overtime when the accident took place.

“Police teams found three workers dead on arrival,” said Gyan Prakash Rai, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Modinagar. “We have been unable to locate or get in touch with factory officials. The police were informed around 5.30am. Three workers died, and one, identified as Lucky, escaped with minor injuries.”

Police later identified the company’s director as Vikas Gupta. ACP Rai said that company officials later joined talks with the victims’ families over compensation. He added that a committee from the industries and labour department would investigate the factory’s shortcomings, and legal action would be taken if violations were found.

“So far, the families have not filed a complaint. The police will not act immediately but will wait for the committee’s findings,” said Surendra Nath Tiwary, deputy commissioner of police, rural zone.

HT’s efforts to contact the company and Gupta remained unsuccessful, with calls and messages to the number listed on its website going unanswered.

Lucky, the sole survivor, alleged that the factory ignored warnings about the faulty boiler. “The bolts were loose. We had complained about it. When the system was started, we couldn’t gauge the heat buildup. A sudden spike in pressure caused the explosion. All three workers died on the spot,” he said.

He added that four workers were inside the unit at the time, and none had been provided with safety gear. “We make rolls here, and rubber is applied to them. The incident happened at around 3.40am,” he said.

District magistrate Deepak Meena has ordered an inquiry. “Officials from the factories department will inspect the boiler. A senior official has been called from Mathura. Other aspects of the incident are also being investigated, and a committee will submit its report soon,” he said.

Alok Kumar, deputy director of the factories department, said officials had already conducted an initial inspection. “Right now, our priority is to ensure that the victims’ families receive compensation. They have refused to allow the bodies to be sent for autopsy. There is no clarity on how many workers were officially employed at the unit. If there were 20 or more, the unit falls under the Factories Act, and we will proceed with an official inquiry. If not, it will be treated as a shop/commercial establishment,” Kumar said.

He added that initial investigations could not confirm the number of workers on the company’s rolls. “We are trying to reach the factory officials for clarity. Preliminary reports suggest the number of workers was under 20, but we need verification,” he said.

Additional district magistrate (finance and revenue) Saurabh Bhatt said a four-member committee had been formed to investigate the cause of the blast and recommend preventive measures. “The committee will submit its report within a week,” he said.

Meanwhile, grieving family members and local residents refused to let authorities recover the bodies for more than 13 hours, demanding immediate compensation. The showdown, however, ended late in the evening after a compensation amount was agreed.

Modinagar MLA Manju Shiwach said she participated in talks between company officials and the victims’ families. “Initial compensation has been paid in cash and by cheque. The labour department has estimated workmen’s compensation amounts ranging from ₹11 lakh to ₹16 lakh for each of the three victims, based on their salary and age. This will be processed as per legal requirements,” she said.