An oxygen cylinder exploded while being unloaded from a truck at a godown in Okhla Phase-I, Delhi, on Wednesday morning, killing a worker and injuring four others, police said. The incident occurred at D-23 in the Okhla Industrial Area, where commercial oxygen cylinders were being handled by workers associated with SM Traders.
A police control room call about the blast was received by the Okhla Industrial Area police station at around 10.43am. Police teams reached the premises and found a Tata 407 truck, registration number DL-1LAJ-3232, loaded with commercial oxygen cylinders.
According to the preliminary statement of the manager of SM Traders, one cylinder fell from the vehicle onto the road during unloading and then exploded. Police said that only one cylinder detonated. The exact technical cause of the explosion has not yet been established.
Mohit Singh, 35, a helper working with SM Traders, died at the scene, police said. Singh was a resident of Jaipur and had been working with the firm for approximately three years.
Four other workers—Umesh, Arvind, Manoj and Pankaj—were injured in the incident and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for treatment. Police said their identities and medical condition were being verified.
The premises were being used as a godown by SM Traders, which is involved in the trading and local distribution of industrial oxygen cylinders, according to the preliminary inquiry. The firm had reportedly been operating from the rented property for about one to two years.
Police said no oxygen-filling plant was found at the site. The cylinders were reportedly received in filled condition from Ghaziabad through a supplier identified as Ram Avtar. They were then supplied to local traders and industries, particularly in the Okhla area.
Investigators are verifying the ownership and agency of the cylinders, the source of supply, the supplier’s credentials and the statutory permissions and licences applicable to their storage, handling and transportation. The premises have been secured, and further investigation is underway.
