Explosion at Gulf Oil Corp unit: Toll reaches 3

The death toll from the blast at the premises of Gulf Oil Corporation Ltd at Kukatpally here rose to three today with the death of a 61-year-old man.

Madhusudan Reddy, who had suffered 96 per cent burns and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital, died at 4 pm, Chandrakant, Inspector of the local police station, said.

The condition of four of the 13 injured, aged between 56 and 60, who had suffered burn injuries in the range of 45 per cent to 82 per cent, was serious, he said.

Cyberabad police had yesterday registered a case under section 304 A (causing death by negligence), 337 and 338 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC against the company management and began investigation into the cause of the explosion.

The explosion and subsequent fire occurred at Explosives Division of the company on Monday when some detonators were being disposed of.