Andhra Pradesh: At least 10 killed, several injured in limestone mine blast in Kadapa

Ten labourers were killed after an explosion in a limestone mine in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa on Saturday. There were at least 40 workers present at the site and the toll is likely to rise, reports said. Kadapa district Superintendent of Police K Anburajan was quoted as saying by PTI that the blast occurred when a consignment of gelatin sticks (explosive material) was being unloaded at the 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. The blast occurred when the sticks were being unloaded,” Anburajan said. Most of the deceased are reported from Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s native village, Pulivendula, Hindustan Times reported. The explosion also created tremors in nearby villages, the report added. Relief and rescue operations for the workers trapped under the debris are underway, India Today reported. Reddy expressed condolences about the deaths and spoke to Kadapa district officials about the rescue and relief operations, a CMO release said. With inputs from PTI