Three dead in Chennai paint factory explosion, one may be trapped under debris

CHENNAI: Three people were killed in an explosion at a paint factory in Kakkalur industrial area near Tiruvallur on Friday around 5 pm. Two of the deceased are factory workers who have not yet been identified.

The third person was a pedestrian, identified as Srinivasan (35), a worker at a nearby private factory. He was killed when an exploding barrel fell on him. While another worker is suspected of being trapped under the debris, a worker escaped with minor injuries.

“A barrel of chemicals placed on the terrace of the Zen Paints factory caught fire and exploded. He fell on the road and Srinivasan was trapped underneath. Srinivasan was rushed to a government hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” a police source said.

Police said four people were working inside the factory when the fire broke out. A worker, identified as Shobana, was injured. She is undergoing treatment in a public hospital. Of the other three, the bodies of two were found charred inside the factory and they have not yet been identified. The police are trying to trace the fourth worker.

A fire and rescue official said the accident was believed to be caused by an electrical short circuit. Due to the heat, the fire spread quickly and became difficult to control.

He added: “The factory had stored a lot of chemicals and paint thinners. Walls and roofs collapsed in the explosion, making our search difficult. The fire was extinguished within a few hours. »

Rescue operations were suspended because it was very dark and authorities said they would continue on Saturday morning.

Preliminary investigations revealed that property and assets worth $3 million were destroyed in the fire. Efforts are underway to identify the deceased.

Tiruvallur Collector T Prabhu Shankar told reporters that legal action would be taken against the factory owner. He also said that the district administration would help the families of the deceased to get compensation.