Pune: A 65-year-old worker was killed and five others injured, one of them seriously, in a powerful gas cylinder explosion in the industrial shed of Parag Gases and Chemicals Pvt Ltd at Loni-Kalbhor, about 18 km from here, on Wednesday.
Such was the impact of the explosion that the deceased worker,Rasulsa Mokashi, was blown to pieces. His head was found lodged in the asbestos roof and other body parts were found strewn all over the shed. Another worker, Rajendra Chavan (50), of Indapur, suffered grievous injuries on both legs and has been admitted to Noble Hospital at Hadapsar. His condition is said to be critical. Four workers escaped with minor splinter injuries — Manohar Nachan (55), Dattatraya Awhale (52), Chandrakant Balsingh (35) and Jaisingh Awhale (50). The department of industrial safety and health, which is conducting an inquiry to determine the cause of the incident, said the firm has prima facie violated the Factory Act, 1948, with regard to safety norms. The Loni-Kalbhor police also said that the chemicals firm had not adopted safety measures. The three-year-old firm, which is owned by one Prakash Mutha of Mumbai, refills nitrogen and
hydrogen cylinders. The firm has, however, claimed that it has adopted all safety measures and that it has recruited only trained employees. The firm, which is located at Kadam vak vasti, off the Pune-Solapur highway, is spread over a one-acre plot. It has a refilling plant, an office and three depots which are used for storing and re-selling acetylene gas cylinders.
Sub-inspector Narayan Pawar of the Loni-Kalbhor police station said the six employees were working at the cylinder refilling platform in the first shift when one of the cylinders exploded around 9.30 am. Kashinath Mahadik, plant manager of the firm, told TOI that Mokashi, who had 40 years’ experience in refilling cylinders, was inspecting the broken spinder of the cylinder that exploded. “He was slowly releasing the gas from the 60-kg cylinder but its valve blew off due to the high pressure,” he said.
“The firm refills 500 to 600 cylinders daily. All our 12 employees, who work in two shifts, are experienced hands. We have installed eight fire extinguishers at the plant,” Mahadik said.
However, inspector Suhas Garud of the Loni-Kalbhor police station denied that the firm had installed fire extinguishers. He told TOI that the firm had also not provided helmets, hand gloves, safety jackets or gumboots to the employees.
Garud said, “The incident is a result of negligence by the owner and officials of the firm. They are liable to be charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code. We will take action after seeking expert opinion.”
Garud said that the cylinder exploded horizontally, which limited the damage. “Had the cylinder exploded vertically, the damage would have been extensive. The firm has been temporarily shut
down,” he added.
Recalling the incident, one of the injured workers, Jaisingh Awhale, said, “I was removing a trailer when I heard a loud noise. I could not see anything as the place had become dark. When the air cleared, I saw Chavan groaning in pain as he had received injuries on his stomach and legs. I ran outside and arranged for an ambulance, and rushed him to Noble Hospital. When I returned, I saw parts of Mokashi’s body lying on the refilling platform.”
Another injured worker, Dattatraya Awhale, said, “I was checking the keys of the cylinders when the incident occurred. I saw blood all over. I ran out of the shed in fear and called out to other employees, who rushed in and helped the injured.” Mokashi’s son Hamid, who was presently at the Sassoon hospital, said, “My father left for work at 8 am. At around 10 am, we got a call from Mahadik telling us about the incident. My father was a simple person and very hardworking. He was earlier employed with Indian Oxygen at Wadgaonsheri. I have two sisters and an ailing mother.”
J D Kumbhar, deputy director of industrial safety and health, said, “I am conducting an inquiry to find out whether the Factory Act, 1948, is applicable to the firm or not. We will have to go in for legal action like filing a criminal case in the court of the chief judicial magistrate if it is found that there has been contravention of the Act. The punishment prescribed under the Act is Rs 2 lakh fine or two years imprisonment,”
Kumbhar said it was the moral responsibility of the firm to obtain a licence. “The firm has not approached us yet for a licence,” he added. Dr H K Sale, director (anaesthesia), Noble Hospital, said the injured worker, Rajendra Chavan, has sustained serious injuries on both legs. “His left leg was crushed and there is a huge bone loss. Initially, we thought of amputating his leg but found that the blood supply to the leg was intact.
We are now thinking of using a graft to save the leg. His right leg has sustained a compound fracture. He also has an abdomen injury which we have sutured,” he said.
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