Nine killed in blast at Andhra limestone mine

Amaravati(AP), May 8

At least nine workers were killed in a blast at a limestone mine in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. So far, only five bodies have been identified, the police said.

Establishing the identity of the victims was proving an onerous task as the bodies lay dismembered at the site of the blast. Among those killed were from Pulivendula constituency, they said.

Pulivendula is the native constituency of Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Kadapa District Superintendent of Police K Anburajan said over phone that the blast occurred when a consignment of gelatin sticks was being unloaded at a limestone mine on the outskirts of Mamillapalli village.

The vehicle was fully mangled under the impact of the explosion. The gelatin sticks were brought from Budwel. “It is a licensed limestone mine and certified operators had brought the consignment,” Anburajan said from the accident site. — PTI