Three killed in gas factory explosion at Sangjani

ISLAMABAD: As many as three workers were killed and two others sustained critical injuries in a blast in an oxygen factory at Sangjani near Tarnol here on Sunday.

The structure of the factory collapsed after the explosion at about 10:45 am, the Rescue-1122 said. The rescuers said that three workers were buried under the debris, while two others, who were at a distance, sustained serious injuries.

The workers remained buried for more than one hour. However, the rescuers removed the concrete debris and recovered three workers, the locals said, adding that two of them had expired while one was taken out alive. However, he was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries in the hospital during surgery.

Local volunteers and personnel of the Rescue-1122 shifted the bodies and injured men to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The blast occurred in Aslam Factory and Medical Gases located near the Sangjani Toll Plaza at about 10:45 am and the building caved in, the eyewitnesses said.

The locals informed the Rescue-1122, Rawalpindi, at 10:50 am and the rescue squad, comprising 40 rescuers and 11 vehicles, reached the scene and started rescue work, the rescuers said.

They added that two workers were shifted to the PIMS immediately, while the operation for pulling out the three trapped workers was initiated later.According to the Tarnol Police, the incident occurred after an oxygen gas cylinder exploded in the factory during the filling process.

Police said that the factory was run by Muhammad Iqbal and several cylinders were placed there. A cylinder exploded during the filling process resulting in sudden fire and collapse of the building. Three employees of the gas factory — Noor Elahi, Dilshad and Zaheer — died on the spot while two men, including Javed, sustained critical injuries.

The rescuers said that over 500 cylinders were placed in the factory when the blast occurred. One kanal of covered area collapsed after the explosion. The total area of the factory was 4.5 kanals, which was damaged badly.

The bodies were shifted to the PIMS and Tarnol Police have arrested the owner of the gas factory. Further investigation is underway.

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