KAKINADA, India – Tragedy struck in Kakinada district on Monday when an oil tanker explosion claimed the lives of two men from Kathipudi village in Santhanamparava mandal. The victims, identified as Kocherla Prabhakar, a 39-year-old lorry driver, and Boora Somaraju, a 39-year-old welding worker, were fatally injured in the incident near Durgada village in Gollaprolu mandal.
Authorities revealed that the empty oil tanker, owned by G. Gangadhar, was undergoing welding repairs when a powerful blast erupted, leading to the fatal outcome. Sub-inspector A. Balaji of Gollaprolu mentioned that the investigation points towards residual oil igniting during the welding process, causing the explosion.
Despite the owner’s assertion that the tanker had been cleaned at a service center, Inspector Balaji emphasized that a comprehensive inquiry is in progress to ascertain the precise cause behind the tragic event. The impact of the explosion resulted in both workers being thrown against an iron rod, resulting in fatal head injuries.
In response to the incident, Gollaprolu police have initiated legal proceedings by registering a case and are actively conducting an investigation to uncover more details surrounding the untimely deaths. The community of Kathipudi village mourns the loss of Prabhakar and Somaraju, who were esteemed members of the tight-knit neighbourhood, leaving behind grieving families and friends. Their memories will be cherished as the investigation into the explosion continues to shed light on the sequence of events leading up to the devastating accident.