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10 killed in explosion at limestone quarry in Andhra
“The explosion occurred when the workers were unloading bundles of detonators from a vehicle for using them for limestone mining,” Kadapa superintendent of police KKN Anburajan said.
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Ten labourers were killed in a massive explosion while unloading detonators from a vehicle at a limestone quarry in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district on Saturday morning, police said. The incident happened at Tirumalakonda hillocks on the outskirts of Mamillapalli village of Kalasapadu block at around 10 am.
“The explosion occurred when the workers were unloading bundles of detonators from a vehicle for using them for limestone mining,” Kadapa superintendent of police KKN Anburajan told Hindustan Times. Police said the driver of the vehicle was among the 10 who died in the explosion.
The explosion was so intense that the bodies were damaged beyond recognition. “With great difficulty, we could identify the victims based on their body parts,” the SP, who visited the spot in the afternoon, said.
Police have identified the deceased as Prasad (35) from Gangayapalle village, Subba Reddy (40) from Gondipalli, Bala Gangulu (35), Venkata Ramana (25) and Lakshmi Reddy (60) from E Kothapalli, Venkateshu (25) from Bakannagaripalle, Eshwaraiah (45) from Bechaiagaripalle, Gangi Reddy (50) from Ramgoripalle, Abdul (30), the driver of the vehicle, from Badwel and Korivi Prasad (40).
Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the death of labourers in the explosion. While he is yet to announce any compensation for the families of the deceased, the CM has ordered an inquiry into the incident. He expressed his condolences to the families of the blast victims.
According to Porumamilla police inspector K Mohan Reddy said all nine labourers who were unloading the explosives and the driver of the vehicle died on the spot, adding that no one was injured in the explosion. “There were two other labourers standing at a distance and they managed to escape without any injuries,” Reddy told HT.
A revenue official in Kalasapadu said the explosion was so intense that it created tremors in adjacent villages, leading to panic among the people.
Soon after the incident, inspector Reddy along with sub-inspectors of Kalasapadu and Porumamilla police stations rushed to the spot, police said.
The jeep that carried the explosive material from Badwel to Kalasapadu was also severely damaged in the explosion. “As per the preliminary investigation based on the available documents, the quarry owner has the licence to procure and use detonators for quarrying limestone in the area. Yet, complete details would be known only after investigation,” the SP said.
He, however, refused to divulge further details about the company and its owners. “We cannot reveal further details unless the investigation is done,” Anburajan said.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan expressed anguish and grief over the death of 10 labourers in the explosion. He enquired with district officials about the cause of accident and conveyed his condolences to members of the bereaved families.
Telugu Desam Party president and former CM N Chandrababu Naidu also expressed deep shock and grief. He demanded that the government extend all help and announce ex gratia to the kin of the deceased.
