Belagavi Sugar Factory Boiler Explosion Kills 3, Six Critical

At least three people were reportedly killed and six others sustained critical injuries after a boiler exploded at a sugar factory in Karnataka's Belagavi district on Wednesday, police officials said.

The incident occurred at the Inamdar Sugar Factory while routine maintenance work was underway on one of the boilers. Superintendent of Police (Belagavi Rural) K. Ramarajan said the explosion took place at around 2 pm. "Eight workers suffered critical injuries in the mishap. Three of them later succumbed to their injuries," he said.

Preliminary findings indicate that the workers were repairing a valve in the Number 1 boiler compartment when the boiler suddenly burst. The explosion released scalding hot molasses, which engulfed workers who were standing nearby, causing severe burn injuries.

Those injured were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, where several are reported to be in a critical condition. The deceased and injured have been identified as Manjunath Teredal, Akshay Chopade, Raghavendra Giriyal, Guru Tammannavar, Bharat Sarawadi, Deepak Munavalli, Sudarshan Banoshi and Manjunath Kajagar.

Following the blast, emergency services rushed to the factory premises and operations were suspended as a precautionary measure. Police officials said a detailed investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the boiler explosion and to verify whether safety protocols were followed during the maintenance work.

Further action will be taken based on the findings of the probe, police added.