A fatal explosion struck a remote road construction site in Himachal Pradesh near the border with China-administered Tibet on Sunday, resulting in the death of one worker and severe injuries to another. The incident occurred in Kinnaur district, approximately 27 kilometres beyond Chitkul at a place called Dhumti, where public works department (PWD) road construction operations were in progress. An excavator was actively digging and clearing heavy boulders when the blast suddenly erupted.
Devastating Blast Tears Through Machinery
The intensity of the detonation was immense, tearing right through the heavy iron arm and bucket of the excavator and leaving a substantial crater at the site. Ashok Kumar, a 50-year-old resident of Palampur in Kangra district who was operating at the site, sustained critical injuries in the explosion. First responders rushed him towards the regional hospital in Reckong Peo, but he succumbed to his severe wounds during transit.
Injured Worker Hospitalized in Reckong Peo
Alongside the deceased, 23-year-old Bhola Sah, hailing from Bihar, was also critically injured during the incident. Emergency personnel evacuated him to the regional hospital at Reckong Peo, where medical teams continue to provide intensive treatment for his injuries. The sheer force of the detonation shattered heavy-duty machinery parts, shocking workers engaged along the frontier belt.
Military and Police Launch Inquiries
Following the blast, police personnel arrived at the location, registered a case, and initiated a detailed probe into the incident. Because the accident transpired in a strategic and rugged terrain close to the international border, the military is also investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the explosion. Key safety questions remain regarding how the detonation occurred during excavation and whether standard clearance checks preceded the construction work, details that will emerge once official military and police findings conclude.
