A blast at the Cordite Factory in Aruvankadu injured eight persons on Monday.
According to sources, two persons were grievously injured in the blast, which reportedly occurred shortly before noon.
The area was cordoned off by the police and medical and rescue persons swung into action.
Deputy General Manager N.N.Narendra told The Hindu that the blast occurred at a Nitrocellulose (gun cotton) workshop of the factory.
Pointing out that it was not in operation, he said that maintenance works were in progress.
“When a corrugated pipe was being welded there had been an explosion,” Mr. Narendra said.
Stating that the presence of some residual explosive material is suspected to have triggered the explosion, he said that the building had been partially damaged.
Factory employee Raj Rahim (24) and contract worker Matur Yadav (38) who were critically injured, were rushed to the Military Hospital in Wellington and later shifted to a private hospital in Coimbatore for further treatment.
B.Devaraj (47), Chandrika Prasad (45) and Gnanjaya Anjaneya (27) were undergoing treatment in local hospitals along with contract workers Kamalesh Yadav (37), Manoj Suttar (20) and Jairam Singh (36).
Mr. Narendra added that the condition of the injured is being constantly monitored and the functioning of the factory has not been affected.
He also informed that the Chief Inspector of Factories is going into the circumstances that had led to the blast.
Nilgiris Collector P.Sankar visited the spot.
Five persons were killed in a blast in the factory in November 2010.
