Okhla godown blast: Oxygen cylinder explodes during unloading, one dead
One person was killed and four others injured after an oxygen cylinder exploded while workers were unloading it from a truck at a commercial godown in Okhla Phase-I, southeast Delhi, on Wednesday, police said.
The deceased was identified as 35-year-old Mohit Singh, a helper employed by a company operating in the area. A resident of Jaipur, Singh had reportedly been working with the firm for around three years. The four injured workers — Umesh, Arvind, Manoj and Pankaj — were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for treatment.
Police received information about the explosion through a PCR call at around 10:45 am. Police and fire department teams immediately reached the location and secured the area. Three fire tenders and a multi-casualty first responder vehicle were also deployed.
A preliminary inquiry found that the workers were employed by a company involved in the trading and local distribution of industrial oxygen cylinders, which were supplied for medical and gas-cutting purposes.
According to the company manager’s statement, the truck carrying filled cylinders had arrived at the godown as part of routine operations. While workers were unloading the cylinders and moving them inside, one cylinder reportedly fell from the vehicle onto the road, triggering an explosion.
Police said preliminary findings indicate that only one cylinder exploded, but the exact technical cause remains unclear. The site, cylinder, vehicle and other relevant material will be examined by technical and forensic agencies to establish what caused the blast.
The explosion was powerful enough to shatter windows in nearby buildings. A worker at a nearby factory said the blast was extremely loud and initially sounded like a bomb explosion, leaving a ringing sensation in his ears.
Police are also verifying details concerning the ownership and supply chain of the cylinders. The cylinders were reportedly transported in filled condition from Ghaziabad through a supplier identified as Ram Avtar before being distributed to traders and industrial units, particularly in the Okhla area.
The area has been secured and further investigation is underway.
with inputs from PTI
