Representative image of a blast.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bhandara: A blast at the Ordnance Factory Bhandara in Maharashtra claimed the life of an employee on Saturday morning, prompting authorities to initiate a probe to ascertain the cause of the accident, officials said.
The incident occurred at the factory’s location in Jawaharnagar on the outskirts of Bhandara city.
The victim, identified as 52-year-old Avinash Meshram, was on duty when the explosion took place.
Despite immediate efforts to rush him to the factory hospital, Meshram was declared brought dead.
Authorities at the factory have swiftly responded by constituting a three-member probe committee to investigate the cause of the blast as the circumstances leading up to the incident remained unclear, officials said.
According to a factory spokesperson, employees from nearby departments rushed to the scene upon hearing the blast and discovered Meshram lying motionless. The authorities have initiated necessary measures to provide compensation and pension to the deceased employee's family.
Speaking to PTI, Bhandara Superintendent of Police Lohit Matani said that Meshram, a resident of Gondia district, was involved in the production of wires used for detonating explosives when the accident occurred within a building on the factory premises.
The Jawaharnagar police station’s assistant inspector, Sudhir Borkute, said an accidental death report has been filed based on the information gathered so far.
Additionally, Bhandara district collector Yogesh Kumbhejkar mentioned that a senior official from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health was dispatched to the blast site, while the deceased’s body underwent post-mortem at the civil hospital.
Surrounded by Satpura Mountain ranges, the factory, which conforms to international norms, is a pioneer in the explosive and chemical group of factories and its products range from acids to high explosives and various propellants with the highest quality standards.