Odisha: 2 dead, several trapped after blast at illegal quarry
What's the story
A powerful explosion at an illegal stone quarry in Gopalpur village, Odisha's Dhenkanal district, has left two workers dead and several others feared trapped. The incident took place late Saturday night when the workers were drilling and extracting stones. The blast caused a large section of rocks to collapse, burying many under debris.
Rescue efforts
Rescue operations underway, heavy machinery deployed
Rescue teams from the local fire service and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) are currently at the site. They have deployed heavy machinery to clear the debris and are using dog squads to locate any trapped workers. Dhenkanal Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil and Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar are supervising these rescue operations.
Legal issues
Illegal operations and safety concerns at quarry
The Dhenkanal district mining office had ordered the leaseholder to stop operations on September 8, 2023, for not having a blasting approval. Despite this, blasting continued at the site in violation of mining regulations. Locals have also questioned whether the quarry's lease had expired, but there is no official confirmation yet.
Official response
Odisha Chief Minister expresses condolences, calls for investigation
Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed his condolences on the social media platform X. He wrote, "I am deeply saddened to learn that workers lost their lives due to a rockfall following an explosion in a stone quarry in Dhenkanal." Patnaik also called for an investigation into the incident and urged authorities to focus on rescue operations.