Three workers of a bakery were killed while three others were critically injured in an oven blast in the Khureji area of East Delhi’s Jagatpuri area Thursday morning.
According to a senior police official, the deceased natives of Farukhabad have been identified as Zainul, Sajid and lifakat, all in their early 20s. At the time of the incident, seven workers were present at the bakery’s manufacturing unit on the first floor, said police, adding that the injured Nazr-e Alam and Afsar were rushed to Hedgewar hospital.
Fire department officials said they received a call around 5:40 am that there was a blast at the first floor of a building at Parwana road in Aflatoon market in Khureji. Four to five fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
A police officer said a local bakery shop operated from the ground floor in the Aflatoon market while the shop had its bread and rusk manufacturing unit on the first floor where in the oven was kept in a separate room.
Injured workers told police that that they had allegedly informed the bakery owner a day before the incident about the oven getting over-heated. “But, the bakery owner ignored their pleas to get it fixed,” said workers. They said, “Usually the manufacturing unit has a strength of around 20
workers, but on Thursday only seven workers were present at the bakery.”
Eyewitnesses told police that the explosion was so loud that windowpanes of the adjoining buildings in the vicinity broke and shards of glass fell out in the lane.
In the preliminary investigation, police found the oven blast was due to overheating but are yet to establish exact cause. Forensic teams of the Delhi Police visited the spot. Further investigation is underway.
“We have registered a case under Sections 287 (Negligent conduct with respect to machinery), 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) , 304 A (Causing death by negligence) of the IPC against the bakery owner at the Jagatpuri police station on the statement of one injured. Further probe is on,” said Rishi Pal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, East district.