Delhi: 1 dead, 4 injured in oxygen cylinder explosion in Okhla

A 35-year-old helper died on the spot and four others were injured after an oxygen cylinder exploded in Delhi's Okhla. The blast occurred when the cylinder fell from a truck during unloading at a godown. The injured were moved to AIIMS Trauma Centre.

A 35-year-old worker died on the spot, and four others were injured after an oxygen cylinder exploded while being unloaded from a truck at a godown in Delhi's Okhla Phase-I area on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Mohit Singh, a resident of Jaipur, who was working as a helper at SM Traders. He died on the spot. The four injured, identified as Umesh, Arvind, Manoj and Pankaj, were shifted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for treatment. Their proper identities and medical condition are being verified.

Preliminary Investigation

The incident took place at around 10:43 am at D-23, Okhla Phase-I, when a Tata 407 truck carrying commercial oxygen cylinders from Ghaziabad had arrived at the premises. During unloading, one of the oxygen cylinders allegedly fell from the vehicle onto the road, following which it exploded. Preliminary investigation has indicated that only one cylinder exploded.

The premises is being used as a godown by SM Traders, which is reportedly engaged in the trading and local distribution of industrial oxygen cylinders. No oxygen-filling plant was found at the premises during the preliminary inquiry. The firm has reportedly been operating from the rented premises for around one to two years, with around three to four workers engaged there.

Further verification is underway regarding the source of the cylinders, supplier details and the statutory permissions required for their storage, handling and transportation. The spot has been secured and further investigation is underway.

Similar Incident in Vivek Vihar

The incident in Okhla comes after another cylinder explosion in Delhi's Vivek Vihar on Sunday. A small Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder exploded at a 'Jhuggi No. 11' located behind the police station in Vivek Vihar under the CBD Shahdara jurisdiction. That incident resulted in severe burn injuries to two individuals, identified as 35-year-old Anil Das and his 30-year-old wife Khushboo. (ANI)

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