Chennai: Twenty goats perish in quarry godown blast
They had stocked gelatin sticks, used as an explosive material in quarries and mine fields.
Chennai: At least 20 goats died and two men suffered serious injuries as a bundle of gelatin sticks stored in a stone quarry godown in Kunnavakkam, Magaral, blew up on Tuesday.
Police said the quarry belonged to Krishna Moorthy and Karunanithi of Magaral village. They had stocked gelatin sticks, used as an explosive material in quarries and mine fields.
The incident happened around 3 pm on Tuesday, resulting in a deafening noise heard around a radius of one-kilometre, employees said.
The employees rushed to spot and found two men, load man Vijayan (30) and security guard Loganathan (33), grievously injured.
The intensity of the explosion was so rattling that over 20 goats grazing by a pond close by were found dead. The blast victims were shifted to a local hospital and are under treatment.
Owners of the quarry, both Krishna Moorthy and Karunanithi are missing, police said. A dog squad and forensic experts were pressed into service, and materials collected have been sent to a forensic lab.
Sources also said that quarry supervisor, Mohan, allegedly walked into the godown talking over his mobile phone, which could have triggered the blast, but police did not recover any body from the debris.
A case has been registered by Magaral police. Kanchipuram SP Kannan visited the spot and held investigations. A probe is on.