6 migrant workers critically injured in boiler blast

Coimbatore: Six migrant workers suffered critical burn injuries after a boiler exploded at an oil company in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu on Thursday. The company was involved in extraction of furnace oil from waste tyres by burning them in huge boilers. The accident occurred when the workers were burning tyres in the boiler at Orattukuppai village on Chettipalayam -Palladam Road.
The injured were identified as D Bikas, 19, S Birujan, 20, J Saroj, 24, A Gunal, 19, A Dharun, 20 and S Preetham, 25, all hailing from Sankos Tea Garden village near Kumargram in Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal. Police said all of them were employed at Sri Nagajothi Pyrolysis firm at Orattukuppai village on Chettipalayam-alladm Road in Coimbatore district. The workers were staying in a room located in the firm's campus.
On Wednesday night, the migrant workers dumped the waste tyres in the boiler and burnt the tyres in a boiler. The firm's supervisor T Gowtham, 26, of Malumichampatti said that the tires were burnt in 250 -350 degree Celsius.
The furnace oil was extracted from the tyres and collected in a separate tank. Also the carbon wastage was collected and dumped in some other places. After the boiler cooled down, the process was repeated," said Gowtham. The furnace oil was used in the foundry industries.
On Thursday around 11am, the six migrant workers opened the boiler's shutter to dump the tyres for burning. But the boiler had not cooled down and suddenly exploded when they opened the shutter. All of them suffered severe burn injuries and were taken to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), where they were admitted to the MM-II wards. Doctors said the workers sustained 100% burn injuries and were struggling for their lives, adding that they have very minor chances of survival.
Meanwhile, superintendent of police (incharge) S Maheswaran visited the spot and inquired with the supervisor of the firm. Later, the Chettipalayam police registered a case against the firm owners Senthil, 30 and his father Balaguru, 60, both from Kavundampalayam and supervisors Gowtham and Mani.
Gowtham was taken to the police station for interrogation. Mani was unavailable as he had gone to his hometown to attend a family function. The owners of the firm are absconding.