The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Two children injured as explosive substance goes off

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Tamil Nadu

Two children injured as explosive substance goes off

Special Correspondent

There was gross negligence, say Metrowater officials

— Photo: A.Muralitharan

Close look: Police personnel inspect the site of the explosion on Anna Street in East Tambaram on Saturday.

TAMBARAM: Two children were hurt when an explosive substance tied to a rock went off in East Tambaram on Saturday.

Panic gripped Anandhapuram following the incident. According to eyewitnesses, a loud noise was heard on Anna Street around noon. Many residents rushed out of their houses and saw a huge rock broken to pieces and a young boy and girl, identified as Alex Joseph (11) and Aldrina (9), injured.

On information, personnel from the Selaiyur police station reached the spot. Bilbo, a male Labrador Retriever from the Sniffer Unit of Chennai Suburban Police's Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad in St. Thomas Mount was brought and a team of forensic experts also arrived.

Investigations revealed that that the private contractor engaged by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, for the underground drainage project of Tambaram Municipality, had used gelatine sticks and detonators to blast huge rocks to lay distribution lines.

One such piece of rock, tied to a couple of detonators was lying on the margins of Anna Street for the past two weeks.

Children playing around them had reportedly used batteries, resulting in the detonation of the rock on Saturday and causing injuries to Alex and Aldrina, who are cousins. One of them was rushed to a private hospital in East Tambaram. Two dozen sutures were required to prevent bleeding.

Official sources said that as part of the work to lay distribution lines of the sewer project, they had used explosives to blast huge pieces of rocks and boulders.

Some of the rocks that had exploded and emerged from below had live wires.

They exploded when they came in contact with power supply from either batteries or a live power source.

The Rs.160-crore underground drainage project of the Tambaram Municipality has been on for the past few years. Anandhapuram, coming under Ward 22, is represented by E.Mani, Tambaram Municipal Chairman.

Stating that there was gross negligence, Metrowater officials said that a thorough investigation would be conducted. Expressing relief that there was no loss of life, they said a thorough safety audit would be conducted before further work commenced in the area.

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