Nagpur factory blast: Safety lapses found; 3 booked

Pic/PTI

Safety lapses have been found at an aluminium products manufacturing factory in Nagpur where a blast last week claimed five lives, following which a case has been registered against three of its officials, police said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

The Nagpur factory blast occurred on April 11 at MMP Aluminium Industries in Umred MIDC in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, reported PTI.

The five deceased workers, all in the age group of 20 to 25 years, were residents of Nagpur district.

Two other workers, who suffered around 80 per cent burn injuries, were reported to be in critical condition. They were shifted from the Government Medical College and Hospital to a private hospital on Saturday for better treatment, an official said, reported PTI.

According to a report from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), the factory management failed to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers and put their lives at risk, officials from Umred police station said, reported PTI.

Two workers who recently joined the company were not given any safety training before being allowed to work at the site, they said quoting the report.

The police on Sunday registered a case against two managers and a safety in-charge of the company under sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence), 287 (negligent conduct regarding fire or combustible matter) and 125(B) (endangering life or personal safety of others due to negligence or recklessness) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the officials said.

No arrest has been made so far, the police said, adding a probe was on into the Nagpur factory blast case.

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who is also the guardian minister of Nagpur, announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased.

"On the instructions of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, I visited the accident site personally and conducted a meeting with the company management and district administration. The government will provide aid of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and assistance for the treatment of the injured. The chief minister instructed the company to provide additional support to the victims," said Bawankule.

The company has agreed to provide Rs 55 lakh each to the families of the deceased besides a job for one family member. The injured workers will receive Rs 30 lakh each, and one member from their families will be given employment, the minister added.

"A high-level meeting was convened immediately to take stock of the situation. I have directed the administration to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident," Bawankule said.

(With inputs from PTI)