Chandigarh: Head cook suffers burns in cooker blast at school’s mid-day meal kitchen

The cooker exploded in the mid-day meal kitchen of Government Model Senior Secondary School. Sector 10, Chandigarh, around 5 am on Thursday

The head cook of the mid-day meal kitchen at Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 10, suffered burns on the face after a cooker exploded on early Thursday morning.

The cooker blast took place around 5 am on Thursday while rajma-chawal was being prepared for the schoolchildren. Another helper also suffered light burns on the leg. (Keshav Singh/HT)

As per information, the head cook, Roop Ram, had noticed the burgeoning pressure in the cooker while rajma chawal was being prepared for children around 5 am.

Anticipating an accident, he tried to remove the cooker from the kitchen to avoid injuries to the staff. However, the cooker exploded in the meantime, causing burns on his face. Another helper suffered burns on the leg, which were treated on the spot, while Ram was taken to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, and later referred to PGIMER.

Doctors confirmed that he was fine and stable, and his eyes didn’t suffer any damage.

Police were called to the spot, while the education department arranged meals for the children from other schools.

Inquiry ordered

Director school education (DSE) Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar said, “Fortunately, no one from the staff or student suffered any serious injury. We have instituted a fact-finding inquiry, whose report will be prepared by Monday.”

Brar said he visited the school and inspected the kitchen, where the cooker was found to be of ISI brand and adequate quality. “The next course of action will be decided after the inquiry report is readied,” he added.