Silchar (Assam), 26 July (HS): At least four workers were killed and several others injured after an LPG cylinder exploded at an industrial unit in Assam's Cachar district on Sunday. The injured were rushed to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), where several are reported to be in critical condition. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

The accident occurred at Khadi Road Industries in Pangram under the Udharbond Assembly constituency. According to preliminary information, the explosion was so powerful that it was heard from a considerable distance, triggering panic in the surrounding area.

Police, district administration officials and rescue teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident. Rescue personnel evacuated the injured from the factory premises and shifted them to SMCH for treatment. Doctors are attending to the critically injured, and officials have not ruled out the possibility of the death toll rising.

To ensure an unhindered investigation and maintain law and order, police sealed the main entrance of the factory. Senior officials, including the Cachar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), visited the site and supervised the rescue operation. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination.

Preliminary findings suggest that the blast was caused by the explosion of an LPG cylinder. However, authorities said a detailed probe is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident and whether there was any negligence in adhering to safety protocols. The process of identifying the deceased and informing their families is also in progress.

The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the area. The district administration has ordered a detailed inquiry, and police said appropriate legal action will be taken if any lapses in safety measures or other responsibilities are established during the investigation.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash