The reason behind the quarry blast near Hathi Belgal village in Alur mandal of Kurnool district incident could not yet be ascertained even as the toll remained 10 on Saturday. The condition of one of the five grievously injured is said to be critical.
According to sources, identification of the victims had become difficult owing to the severity of the burns they sustained. Preliminary investigation revealed that a new batch of explosives used for quarrying was reportedly brought from Chennai on Friday and stored in a shack near the temporary settlements of the workers. Officials suspect that the explosion took place when the workers were cooking their dinner.
Deputy Chief Ministers N. Chinarajappa and K.E. Krishnamurthy, accompanied by DGP R.P. Thakur, visited the site and inspected the bodies. They consoled those undergoing treatment. “It is unfortunate that several workers have lost their lives. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has announced ₹5 lakh ex-gratia to the families of the deceased and directed the district administration to conduct a detailed probe. Stringent action will be taken against those responsible and steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur. Details of the quarry and its operations will also be investigated,” they added.
Mines Minister Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao, who also inspected the blast site, said the compensation would be paid by the owners of the quarry. “We are focussing on transporting the bodies to their States and according quality medical care to the injured. Storing explosives near the workers’ settlements is against the regulations. We will take appropriate action.” Senior Congress leader Kotla Jayasurya Prakasha Reddy urged the State government to increase the ex gratia to ₹10 lakh.
The officials suspect the toll could go up as dismembered body parts were strewn across the scene. The village has five quarries, and the one where the incident took place had been operating for the past eight years, under lease. Reports also indicate that about 30 to 35 workers, hailing from Jharkhand and Odisha, were employed at the quarry.
District Collector S. Satyanarayana and SP Gopinath Jatti inspected the spot on Friday night and coordinated the relief measures.
