Visakhapatnam, Oct. 24 -- At least five people, including a schoolteacher, were killed in a powerful explosion involving gelatin sticks during road construction work in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitaramaraju district on Saturday morning, police said. The accident occurred near Pinakota village in Anantagiri mandal, where workers were carrying out blasting operations to break rocks as part of a road expansion project in the hilly region.
According to police, a specialised device fitted with gelatin sticks was being used to blast rocks along the ghat road when it reportedly malfunctioned, triggering an explosion. The impact was severe enough to destroy two vehicles at the construction site. Three workers and a driver involved in the road construction activity were killed, while a teacher travelling along the road in the opposite direction also lost her life. The teacher was reportedly on her way to school when the explosion occurred. She was passing through the area when the blast struck, making her an unintended victim of the construction-site accident.
Preliminary reports identified the teacher as Sunitha, a resident of Visakhapatnam. Three other victims were identified in local reports as Mani from Devarapalli, Narayana Rao from Chiedakada and Pavan Kumar from the Kadapa region. The identity of the fifth deceased person had not been confirmed in the initial reports. Police said the explosion occurred during blasting operations intended to clear rocks for widening the road. A device containing gelatin sticks reportedly misfired, resulting in the accident. The exact circumstances that caused the explosives to detonate unexpectedly remain under investigation.
The force of the explosion completely damaged two vehicles positioned near the construction site. Local reports indicated that a Bolero vehicle and a tipper were involved in the incident, although authorities had yet to establish the complete sequence of events leading to the blast. Following the explosion, local police and revenue department officials rushed to the spot and initiated rescue operations. The accident caused extensive damage to the vehicles and disrupted activity at the road construction site. Authorities began examining the circumstances surrounding the handling and use of explosives during the road expansion work. The investigation is expected to determine whether the incident resulted from an equipment malfunction, improper handling of explosive material or other factors.
Some preliminary local reports suggested that the explosion may have occurred when diesel was being transferred between vehicles near the construction area. However, other reports, citing police, attributed the accident to a malfunction involving gelatin sticks used for blasting rocks. The precise cause has not yet been conclusively established.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha expressed grief over the incident and contacted the district collector and superintendent of police to obtain details of the explosion. She directed officials to ensure necessary assistance at the accident site and provide appropriate medical treatment to anyone injured. The minister also conveyed her condolences to the families of those killed and assured them of government support. The incident has raised concerns over safety precautions during road construction in mountainous areas, where controlled explosions are often required to remove rock formations and widen narrow stretches.
Gelatin sticks are commonly used in blasting operations, but their handling and detonation require strict safety procedures, including controlled access to the worksite and precautions to prevent vehicles and pedestrians from entering hazardous areas. The death of a teacher travelling along the road has also brought attention to the risks posed to members of the public when construction-related blasting is carried out near routes used by commuters. Authorities are investigating the accident, including the circumstances in which the explosives were deployed and whether adequate safety arrangements were in place at the time.
While several early reports placed the death toll at five, one local report suggested that the number had risen to six. The higher figure had not been independently confirmed, and the police account available at the time confirmed five fatalities.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.