E-Paper
Dera Bassi factory blast: Police record statements of injured
The victims, Ved Prakash Sharma, general manager, and Nitin Kumar Saxena, assistant general manager, were standing near the boiler at the Dera Bassi factory when the mishap took place and suffered injuries
A day after two employees got injured after a blast at a herbal products factory in Dera Bassi, the local police on Saturday recorded their statements.
On Friday, a boiler at Chereso Life Sciences Private Limited, Focal Point, Dera Bassi, had caught fire, leading to a blast in its dryer.
The victims, Ved Prakash Sharma, general manager (GM), and Nitin Kumar Saxena, assistant general manager (AGM), were standing near the boiler when the mishap took place and suffered injuries.
Police said the factory management had claimed that the blast occurred while welding work was in progress on the factory premises.
“Two men, standing on stools, were carrying out welding work inside the factory. A spark from the welding machine came in contact with the boiler, leading to a fire and a blast. While both the welders judged the situation well in time and escaped to safety, the two senior officials monitoring the work could not and were injured. There were no other workers inside the factory,” said Darpan Kaur Ahluwalia, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Dera Bassi.
The victims were rushed to the Dera Bassi civil hospital and are out of danger.
The fire was controlled by the factory management using fire safety equipment even before arrival of firefighters.
“The victims were not referred to any other hospital, as their condition is stable. They are still undergoing treatment at the civil hospital. We have recorded their statements, but to be sure that there was no foul play behind the accident, we are awaiting the Forensic Science Lab’s report. A team from the Mohali forensic lab was called to the spot around 4 pm on Friday and the area was cordoned off. We will also record statements of the welders,” added the DSP.
No case was registered regarding the incident till filing of the report. “We will lodge an FIR in case any negligence is found that led to the accident,” a senior police official said.
