Sathya Sai Dt: Powerful Explosion Kills 4, Over 10 Injured In Kadiri
Police officials attribute the blast may not be limited to an LPG cylinder blast, given the intensity of the blast.
ANANTAPUR: Four persons died while 27 others, including children, suffered injuries in a massive explosion triggered by ammonium sulphate, diesel and gas cylinders illegally stored at a house in Kummaravandlapalle village of Kadiri Rural mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district on Wednesday.
The explosion caused heavy damage to five adjacent houses. Several of the injured persons are serious. Shockingly, all those who died actually tried to put off flames in the house after its occupants rushed out of the house shouting about smoke emanating within their premises. According to police and local sources, the house in question belonged to Venkat and Sampath, who are from Nalgonda in Telangana. They had migrated to Kummaravandlapalle 10 years ago. Experts in blasting, they undertook contracts for carrying out blasts at mines and for laying of roads. They used ammonium sulphate and gelatine sticks to conduct the blasts. On the day of the incident, blasting contractors Venkat and Sampath had allegedly stored in their rented house five buckets of ammonium sulphate, blasting material, and two drums of diesel for their blasting works. The house also had two LPG cylinders using which the duo’s families cooked their food. When the family members of Venkat and Sampath noticed smoke emanating from the stored material, they rushed out shouting for help. Noticing the smoke, nearby people, most of them construction workers, entered the house to help out. However, right at that moment, a sudden explosion occurred with ammonium sulphate, blasting material and diesel igniting. The LPG cylinders too exploded. Four persons died on the spot. They have been identified as Viswanatha Reddy 50, Madhusudan 40, Aslam Basha 50, and Mabunnisa 50. Kadiri police led by DSP Narayana Swamy rushed to the spot and took up rescue operations with the help of fire crews. Rescue teams shifted 18 persons who suffered serious injuries to the Kadiri hospital. One of them, Fakruddin, has lost his eyes in the explosion and is battling for his life at the Anantapur Government General Hospital.
Sathya Sai district collector Syamprasad, SP Satheesh Kumar and Kadiri MLA K. Prasad supervised the rescue operations.
Blasting contractors Venkat and Sampath and their families fled from the spot soon after the blast. Those injured in the blast are Rameez – 15 years, Simhadri – 24, Purushottam – 19, Kalyan – 25, Noor Mohammad – 24, Shaik Noor Mohammad – 35, Vijay Kumar – 25, Baba Fakruddin – 50, Gangojamma – 56, Srinivasulu Reddy – 60, Ashok – 30, Rafiq – 55, Rama Chandra – 56, Lakshmipathi – 27, Janardhan – 45, Allabaksh – 29, Rishita – 16, Shayal – 10, Fazil – 22, Balaji – 40, Venu – 28, Khader Vali – 34, Bhargav – 35, Shajian – 24, Shaheena – 10, Rafiq – 42, and Kavitha – 32 years.
Kadiri police launch hunt for blasting contractors
Kadiri police launched a hunt for blasting contractors Venkat and Sampath of Nalgonda in Telangana, who have fled along with their families after the house in which they had been staying and stored explosives blew up killing four persons and seriously injuring several others.
Sources said Venkat, Sampath and three more persons of their family had been in the house just before the incident. Soon after smoke spread in the house after a chemical reaction of ammonium sulphate stored in the house, the entire family came out from the house shouting for help.
But none of them re-entered the house even as their neighbours rushed in to put out the flames. This has led to the charge that they knew about the enormous danger of storing explosives in the house in addition to two drums of diesel.
Following the blast leading to four deaths and numerous injuries, Venkat and Sampath vanished from the spot along with other family members.
Kadiri DSP Narayana Swamy told DC that special teams are looking for both the main accused.
Clues teams that arrived are understood to have collected residues of explosives from the spot. These confirm the presence of ammonium sulphate and diesel, apart from LPG.
Kadiri MLA K. Prasad has expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible. “This is a very unfortunate incident. The government will extend all possible assistance to the families of the deceased,” the MLA stated.
Satyasai district collector Syamprasad and SP Satheesh Kumar said a detailed investigation is underway and strict action will be taken against those found responsible.
