Shopian, April 30,: Another person injured in last night’s explosion in Shopian has succumbed to injuries this morning, raising the death toll to two.
A blast at a cold storage unit in the fruit mandi area of Aglar in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday evening left an engineer dead and two others injured during repair work. One of the injured later died on Thursday morning, officials said.
The incident occurred at Zum Zum cold store when a steamer being repaired exploded, injuring three engineers on the spot.
The injured were shifted to District Hospital Shopian for treatment, where one of them succumbed to injuries late night while another engineer breathed his last on Thursday mornin..
The deceased have been identified as Saurabh Singh and Shiv Kumar. They are residents of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.
A steamer in such units refers to a steam-generating system or boiler used for heating, pressure control, or maintenance operations within the facility. It operates under high pressure and temperature, and any malfunction during repair or operation can lead to explosions, making it a high-risk component if not handled properly.
The trio was reportedly engaged in repair work at the cold storage facility when the explosion took place. The cause of the blast is being ascertained.
Notably, a cold store (cold storage facility) is a temperature-controlled unit used to preserve perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural produce by slowing down spoilage and extending shelf life. [KNT]
