AHMEDABAD: Molten iron from a furnace rained down on factory workers in Sihore, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on Wednesday night killing two and injuring others. Three workers were critically injured in the accident.
The accident occurred while iron melting was taking place in a furnace plant at the Rudra Global Infra Ltd in Sihore. Molten iron from the furnace rained down on the workers, five workers were severely burned. One labourer died on the spot, while four others were rushed to the hospital, where one more person perished.
"Three employees are now being treated at Bhavnagar’s Hospital," said the factory officials.
“As soon as the news reached them, the company's employees admitted the injured to hospitals and made plans to return the dead bodies to their home town,” Revenue Officer (Mamlatdar) of Sihore taluk, R.G. Prajapati told media.
“An investigation is underway to determine how the tragedy occurred and what precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the company's employees. If the company is found to be negligent throughout the investigation, action will be taken against them,” he added
This is not the first incident of an accident in factories. Such incidents in Gujarat have taken the lives of several poor workers in the last two months.
Two workers hailing from Bihar, had died of asphyxiation after a chemical spill at a facility in Gujarat's Valsad district on 5 December. On November 28, ten persons were killed and 24 workers sustained burn injuries in an explosion at Ether Chemical Industry at Sachin GIDC, Surat.
According to data presented by the Gujarat government in response to a question posed by Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani during the Monsoon Session of Gujarat Assembly, the number of industrial accidents increased by 17% between 2020-21 and 2022-23.
In 2022-23, the number of industrial accidents in Gujarat increased from 179 in 2020-21 to 210. The number of fatalities also increased by 15%, from 217 in 2020-21 to 249 in 2022-23