CHENNAI: A 32-year-old worker was killed and eleven others were injured when two paint drying ovens burst simultaneously in a factory in Sipcot Industrial Park in Sriperumbudur.
Police said they suspect an electrical short circuit triggered the blast at the unit, which is owned by Phorotech Surfin (India) Pvt Ltd.
A machine operator in the automobile spares painting unit, K Abhishek, a native of Vellore, died when the paint drying ovens exploded. Witnesses told police the ovens blew up after Abhishek switched them on.
It was the fourth industrial accident on Chennai's outskirts in the past month, raising apprehensions that few of the hundreds of units south of the city comply with minimum safety norms.
An investigating officer said Abhishek was one of several workers who placed automobile spare parts in the ovens after they received a fresh coat of paint. "At 10.30am on Monday, Abhishek switched on the ovens, when two of them burst," the officer said. "He died on the spot."
"Abhishek had switched on first two ovens. They were functioning properly. When he switched on a third and fourth oven, they exploded," he said.The explosion resulted in Abhishek being thrown several metres awayfrom where he was standing. He sustained severe head injuries, the officer said. The blast caused extensive damage to the asbestos roof of the unit and shattered several glass doors. injuring eleven others, including two women.
Fire and rescue services personnel rushed to the spot and took Abishek to a hospital nearby where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Around 200 people work at the unit in three shifts on all weekdays. The explosion took place shortly after the unit opened on Monday morning after being shut on the weekend.While a preliminary probe suggested that an electrical short circuit caused the blast, the officer said lack of maintenance could have played a part, as the ovens were being used after a gap of two days. "According to experts in the industry, this type of equipment should be sent for maintenance at regular intervals," he said.
Witnesses said they ran for safety when they heard the blast. "It was so loud that we thought a bomb had exploded," an employee said.
Police arrested two officials of the company, maintenance manager Jaya Kumar and human resources manager Siva Natarajan, under IPC Section 304(a) (causing death by negligence). They are likely to be remanded in judicial custody.
