Safety Lapses Persist After Blast At Chirec School

HYDERABAD: A day after a rock blast at a construction site near Chirec International School in Serilingampally injured at least three people and triggered panic, little had changed — children kept moving out and workers at the construction site kept working without any safety precautions.

An FIR was filed against a sub-contractor engaged by Namishree Projects for work opposite Gate No. 3 of the school. The blast, carried out around 3 pm on Tuesday, was conducted in unsafe conditions, sending large blocks of stone into the school grounds.

While the school’s management denied any injuries, students told Deccan Chronicle that one student and two staff members suffered minor injuries. “One student was playing football when rocks had just fallen. He accidentally tripped over a stone, fell and got hurt. He was treated immediately,” a student said.

Another upper primary student, waiting near the gate for her parents, said, “Honestly, these construction companies should be aware and follow all safety rules. They should mix the right proportion of dynamite. We keep hearing blasts and tremor-like sounds all the time. Something this big has happened for the first time, but it is still scary.”

“Even the school management knows how bad it is, but would not bother to flag it. We hear blast sounds and do not even know where they come from,” another student added.

At the site, several safety violations were visible. Workers doing centering work on the 20th floor were seen without helmets, shoes or other protective gear. Police had also not inspected the site to verify compliance with safety norms.

School media officer and facility manager Venu Swamy said, “They had taken permissions and usually carried out blasting after 6 pm, when the school premises were empty. This was the only exception. We were not informed about the blast.”