Massive explosion at a boiler in Gzb factory kills 3 workers

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.

- Peeyush Khandelwal

GHAZIABAD: 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.