Workplace safety: Three killed, 18 injured in cylinder blast

LAHORE:

Three people were killed and 18 others were injured on Friday in a blast at a gas factory in Quaid-i-Azam Industrial Estate.

“The explosion occurred at around 10:45am” said Muhammad Imtiaz, a worker.

He said, “First we thought it was a terrorist attack but later we saw that a cylinder had exploded.”

Police said three more cylinders had exploded after the first blast.

Rescue 1122 officials said 15 fire fighting vehicles were sent to the site. The fire was put out in three hours.

Rescue spokesman Jam Sajjad said three workers, Mujeeb Alam, Bashir Ahmad and Muhammad Arshad died from burns. He said their bodies were found after the fire was put down. Doctors at Jinnah Hospital said three people brought in were still in a critical condition.

DIG Operation Rana Abdul Jabbar said the police would investigate the cases of the incident. He said if proper fire safety standards had not been maintained, legal action would be taken against the factory owners.

The DIG said the factory provided several gases used in medical treatment at various hospitals and clinics.

He said according to initial report, adequate safety measure were not followed at the factory. Those injured were identified as Zubair, Afzal, Ramazan, Sajjad, Sajid, Zahid, Arif, Arshad, Farooq, Abdul Jabbar, Aziz, Umair and Umer.

The chief minister has taken notice of the incident and sought a report.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2014.