Rayagada: Three persons, including two women, were reportedly killed while six others sustained critical injuries in an explosion at a stone quarry in Gunpur area of Rayagada district on Friday. Six other workers were seriously injured after being hit by boulders and stone pieces, following the blast, they added. Among those killed are two women, police said.
It is suspected that the mishap occurred during stone blasting at the quarry located near Okilaguda area in the district.
The incident took place in Okiloguda in Gunupur police station area in the afternoon when the labourers were loading stone chips on a tractor and suddenly blasting rocked the quarry, killing three of them instantly, police officers said.
The injured ones have been admitted to the Gunupur Hospital for treatment. One of the deceased has been identified as Dudi Sabar (50). The victims are Buda Sabar (50), Pantul Sabar (45), Suku Sabar (50), Balia Sabar (10), and Samiyan Sabar (12).
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The three died on the spot after being hit by stone pieces following the explosion. The rescue operation after the mishap was affected due to rainfall in the area, reports added.
A police team immediately rushed to the site and the injured labourers were shifted to the Gunupur hospital, said Saravana Vivek M, the superintendent of police. An investigation has been started to ascertain the circumstances that led to the incident, he said.
With PTI inputs
