Yavatmal: Four people were killed and three others were injured after a metal container carrying gelatin sticks, attached to a tractor, exploded during welding work in Umarkhed town on Saturday morning.The incident took place at around 11:30 am in front of Kisan Welding Workshop on Dhanki Road. Avinash Bele (32) and Sajeb Khan Anis Khan died on the spot, while Vaibhav Bokse (12) and Shaikh Javed Shaikh Babu succumbed during treatment in Nanded.As per preliminary information, the blast occurred when the tractor, which was used in blasting operations, had been brought to the workshop for welding work. The blast was so powerful that the glass panes of vehicles parked nearby were shattered. Objects lying around the tractor were reportedly thrown to a distance of nearly 20 feet.The loud explosion triggered panic in the area, prompting local residents to rush to the workshop. Citizens shifted the injured persons to the Umarkhed Sub-District Hospital in a goods vehicle.A large crowd gathered at the accident site. Police officials, including Sub-Divisional Police Officer Gaurav Kayande Patil and Umarkhed Police Station in charge Shankar Panchal, rushed to the spot.Police immediately secured the site, suspecting that the tractor could contain a detonator or other explosive-related material. A heavy police presence was maintained at the spot.Meanwhile, relatives of the deceased and injured persons gathered in large numbers at the sub-district hospital. Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the explosion.
