Two dead in oil tanker explosion at Suryapet in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Two persons died and three others were injured when an empty fuel tanker exploded while welding work was being done on it in Suryapet town on Monday evening.According to the police, the deceased have been identified as Mantri Arjun (30), a welder, and Gattu Arjun (50), a worker. Three other workers, Venkat Narayana, Ramana and Mallesh, sustained injuries in the incident.
The loud noise caused by the explosion triggered panic in the busy area for a few minutes. Police have registered a case in connection with the incident and started an investigation.“The cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. It could have occurred due to the pressure built up in the tanker. We are also probing if there was any negligence during the welding process,” said S Mohan Kumar, DSP Suryapet.Police said that the tanker is owned by Thota Giri of Suryapet town and is on lease with the HPCL.
After unloading fuel on Saturday, the workers noticed a leak in one of the four compartments of the tanker. On Monday, they brought the tanker to the welding shop owned by Mantri Arjun to fix the leak. The explosion took place when they started the work. Further details can be revealed only after a detailed investigation, said the police.