A 35-year-old worker was killed and four others were injured when a commercial oxygen cylinder exploded while being unloaded at a godown in Okhla Phase-I here on Wednesday morning, the police said.
The deceased, identified as Mohit Singh, worked as a helper with the firm for about three years.
Four others — Umesh, Arvind, Manoj and Pankaj — sustained injuries and were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, the police said.
The incident occurred around 10.43 am on the premises in D-23, Okhla Phase-I, where commercial oxygen cylinders were being handled by workers of a private agency.
According to the police, a vehicle carrying the cylinders had arrived on the premises from Ghaziabad and one of the cylinders fell from the vehicle onto the road during unloading, following which it exploded.
The police said only one cylinder was found to have exploded.
The premises was being used as a rented godown by the agency, which is reportedly involved in the trading and local distribution of industrial oxygen cylinders. The firm has been operating from the premises for about one to two years and has GST registration, according to the preliminary inquiry.
The police said no oxygen-filling facility was found at the premises. The cylinders were reportedly brought in filled condition from Ghaziabad and supplied to local traders and industries, mainly in the Okhla area.
The firm is reported to handle around 70 to 80 cylinders a day.
The police are also examining the source and ownership of the cylinders, the supplier’s credentials and whether the firm had the required permissions for their storage, handling and transportation.
The cause of the explosion has not yet been established. Technical and forensic teams will examine the cylinder, vehicle and other material to determine the circumstances leading to the blast.
The spot has been secured and further investigation is on.
