Death toll in nitrogen cylinder explosion rises to 2 in Kanpur Ordnance Factory

The death toll in the nitrogen cylinder explosion at the ordnance factory here rose to two on Wednesday, officials said. SHO of Armapur police station Ajit Verma said M P Mahto, an examiner, had succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital.

Assistant engineer MS Rajput was killed, while eight others sustained serious injuries when a nitrogen cylinder exploded at the ordnance factory on Tuesday, Verma said. The ordnance factory's general manager Mukul Kumar Garg said the light field gun (LFG) was being tested under the supervision of engineers and examiners at the testing wing of the factory when a nitrogen cylinder attached to the barrel of the gun went off, killing the assistant engineer on the spot, while Mahto succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday.

"An inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the explosion and suggest remedial measures," Garg said and added that a detailed report about the incident would be sent to the Defence Ministry.

(With inputs from agencies.)