Guwahati: A powerful explosion rocked Ramnagar in Digboi on Monday when an oil tanker (AS07 C 5132) undergoing welding repairs at a local garage blew up, leaving two people critically injured.
The blast occurred while welding work was being carried out on the tanker, which is believed to have been brought in from Doymukh in Lakhimpur district. The victims have been identified as 51-year-old driver Sunil Bora and 46-year-old mechanic Umesh Singh. Both sustained severe facial and bodily injuries and were immediately rushed to Dibrugarh for advanced medical treatment.
Other workers present at the time of the explosion escaped without injuries.
Initial reports point to gross violations of safety protocols during the repair work. Welding on a highly inflammable oil tanker was allegedly being done without proper safety clearances or precautions in place.
Digboi police quickly arrived at the scene and have launched an investigation into the incident. Authorities are also examining whether the garage had the necessary permissions to undertake such high-risk repair activities.
The incident has raised serious concerns about enforcement of industrial safety standards in the area.
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