Belagavi: Three workers were killed and six others sustained serious injuries in a boiler blast at a sugar factory in Marakumbi village of Bailhongal taluk, about 50 km from Belagavi, on Wednesday.A case has been registered at the Murgod police station. Preliminary investigations point to excessive pressure inside the boiler as the likely cause of the blast, raising concerns over safety protocols at the unit. Investigations were under way to determine the exact cause of the explosion and to ascertain whether there were any safety lapses.According to police sources, the blast occurred around 2 pm while repair work was being carried out on the valves in the first compartment of the boiler section at Inamdar Sugar Factory.Two workers died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries while being moved to hospital. The deceased have been identified as Akshay Chopade, 45, of Jamkhandi; Deepak Munavalli, 31, of Nesaragi; and Sudarshan Banosi, 25, of Chikkamunavalli.The injured workers were rushed to a private hospital in Belagavi, with police creating a green corridor to ensure quick transport.At the time of the accident, about 15 workers were present in the boiler area, while nearly 200 others were on duty in different sections.The factory, a private unit established in 2007, is headed by former Rajya Sabha member Prabhakar Kore as its director, with his son Amit Kore serving as chairman.
