Worker dies in explosion at factory in Kasaragod
A 19-year-old factory worker from Odisha died and two colleagues were seriously injured after a high-pressure gas discharge from a boiler triggered a major accident at a plant in the Ananthapuram Industrial Estate in Kumbala, Kasaragod, on Sunday morning, October 4, 2026.
Victim identified
The deceased was identified as Maheshwar Kanhar, a worker at a facility that manufactures value-added products from poultry waste. Two other workers, Tanuja, 24, and Sidhananda, 21, sustained serious injuries in the incident.
How the accident unfolded
The accident occurred at around 10 a.m. when gas reportedly escaped forcefully under high pressure from the boiler. The powerful discharge hurled Maheshwar, who was working nearby, into a deep poultry waste pit adjacent to the boiler. As Tanuja and Sidhananda attempted to pull him to safety, they were also caught up in the accident and suffered severe injuries.
Rescue and treatment
Other workers at the factory quickly joined the rescue effort, managing to pull all three from the waste pit before rushing them to hospital. Despite the emergency response, Maheshwar’s condition had already deteriorated, and he died while undergoing treatment.
Tanuja, who sustained critical injuries, was subsequently shifted to a private hospital in Mangaluru for specialised care, where her condition remains serious. Sidhananda was admitted to the Kumbla District Cooperative Hospital for treatment.
Probe under way
Following the incident, Kumbla police and industrial safety officials reached the factory and initiated inspections to determine the circumstances that led to the high-pressure gas release and the resulting accident. Details on the cause are yet to be formally established.
The incident, reported on Sunday and published at 8:46 p.m. IST the same day, has raised immediate concerns about workplace safety at the industrial estate as authorities continue their investigation.
