Two workmen die in blast at chemical factory

Chennai: Two workmen were killed and another employee was severely injured today when a pipeline linked to a boiler that was carrying potassium silicate at a factory here exploded, police said.

The mishap occurred at the chemical factory at Ambattur Industrial Estate late last night.

“There was a leak of the chemical, potassium silicate and when it exploded all of a sudden two workers were killed and one was injured,” Police Inspector, Ambattur Industrial Estate, V Karnan told PTI.

The dead were identified as Murugavel, of Tiruvallur district and Ranjan, a native of Odisha, while the injured was identified as Vedamuthu.

Soon after the mishap, all the three men were rushed to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital where Murugavel and Ranjan succumbed to their injuries, and Vedamuthu is undergoing treatment, he said.