Bolangir/Burla: At least three employees of Ordnance Factory Badmal in Saintala block here of Bolangir district sustained severe injuries in an explosion at unit-15 of the plant Friday.
Though the exact reason behind the explosion is uncertain, it is suspected that the mishap occurred during testing of arms and ammunition at the factory’s unit-15.
The three injured were armed forces personnel of the rank of junior works managers at the factory. They are Pradip Kumar Sahu (46), Souri Ranjan Pandey (42) and Ranjan Rout (49).
The three injured personnel of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) were rescued and rushed to a local hospital. They were later shifted to Burla-based VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) as their condition became critical.
After preliminary treatment in the casualty ward, they were shifted to the surgical ward for further treatment, it was learnt. The three are out of danger, the doctors in the hospital said.
Sources said the incident occurred Friday between 11am-12noon. Fire brigade personnel of the company rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The flames were doused and the injured persons rescued.
On the other hand, four persons sustained minor injuries and were admitted to the Ordnance Factory Hospital. They were identified as Siba Thati, Taranisen Bagarti, Baldev Ganda and Humer Majhi.
When contacted, the factory’s safety officer Sanjib Kumar Panda said the medical and treatment expenses of the injured will be borne by the company.
While such explosions in the company have raised questions on the safety and security of the employees, Panda refused to state the reason behind the explosion. PNN