Kakinada: Two men – Kocherla Prabhakar, 39, a lorry driver, and Boora Somaraju, 39, a welding worker, both from Kathipudi village in Santhanamparava mandal, died in an oil tanker explosion in Kakinada district on Monday.
The incident occurred near Durgada village in Gollaprolu mandal. According to sub-inspector A. Balaji of Gollaprolu, the empty oil tanker, owned by G. Gangadhar, was undergoing welding repairs when a powerful blast ripped through it.
The investigation suggests the cause might be residual oil igniting during the welding process. While the owner maintains the tanker was cleaned at a service centre, Inspector Balaji informed that a thorough inquiry is underway to determine the exact cause.
The impact of the explosion threw both workers against an iron rod, inflicting fatal head injuries. Gollaprolu police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.
