6 killed in cylinder blast at Indian chemical factory

NEW DELHI: At least six labourers were killed and several others injured Wednesday in a cylinder blast inside a chemical factory in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
The factory is located in the Bijnor district, about 443km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
"This morning, six labourers were killed and several others injured after a methane cylinder blasted at a chemical factory on Kotwali road here. The blast triggered a huge fire in the factory," sub-district magistrate Bijnor told Xinhua news agency via telephone.
Reports said the cylinder blasted when the labourers were welding a leakage in a tank. According to officials, 11 workers were present inside the factory at the time of the blast.
Following the incident, police and disaster response force personnel arrived at the scene of the incident to send the injured to the hospital and retrieve the bodies.
Accidental explosions are common inside factories in India as it is believed owners usually ignore safety standards. — Bernama