Two killed, 7 hurt in cylinder blasts at Ctg oxygen factory

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CHITTAGONG, July 26 (BSS): Simultaneous blasts of a number of large-sized oxygen cylinders at a factory in Kadam Rasul area under Sitakunda Upazila in the port city killed at least two workers and injured seven others Saturday morning.

Witnesses and police said at least eight to 10 heavy iron made oxygen cylinders suddenly went off one after another with a big bang when workers of Brothers Oxygen Factory Limited were working inside the half-pucca tin-shed factory at about 10.40 am.

Of the victims, Mamun (25), hailing from Anowara Upazila, died on the spot while Suman (30), son of Abdul Motaleb of Khadempara in Sitakunda Upazila, was declared dead soon after his admission at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

Among the injured, two critically wounded workers Fyez Ahmed (33) and Dulal Meah (29) are receiving treatment at the CMCH.

Nazrul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Sitakunda thana, who rushed to the scene soon after the blasts, said that a big 30-35 yard roof of the factory was blown off and machinery, walls and furniture of the factory were badly damaged by the explosion, creating panic in the area.

The workers who were engaged in filling oxygen into the cylinders could not save themselves as the iron sprinters from the cylinders hit them though they tried to come out of the factory.

Factory authorities could not confirm the exact cause of the explosion but the police suspect that fault at the cylinder or excess loading of oxygen into it might be the reason behind the blast.