CO2 cylinder blast at soda shop kills worker

Vadodara: A powerful carbon dioxide (CO2) cylinder explosion at a soda shop in city’s Laxmipura area on Saturday evening killed a 36-year-old worker after the cylinder was hurled nearly 700 to 800 metres through the air and struck him while he was carrying out fabrication work on a terrace.

The incident occurred near Raliyatba Nagar at a fountain soda shop located in a food zone.

According to police, the CO2 cylinder used for preparing soda had been kept outside the shop, where it allegedly overheated and exploded. The blast triggered panic in the locality as a loud noise reverberated across the area.

Police said the force of the explosion sent the cylinder flying before it landed on the terrace of house in Shri Kunj Society near Raliyatba Nagar. At the time, two workers were engaged in welding and fabrication work on the terrace.

The cylinder struck Mukesh Giri, a native of Uttar Pradesh who had arrived in the city barely a week ago. He sustained severe injuries and died on the spot, police said.

Another worker, identified as Dharmendra Giri, also from Uttar Pradesh, suffered injuries and was shifted to GMERS Medical College and Hospital in Gotri for treatment.

Residents said the explosion was so intense that nearby structures were also damaged. An adjacent wall was hit by the impact, while another wall reportedly collapsed.

Teams from the Laxmipura police station and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) rushed to the spot and launched an investigation. Police have registered a case of accidental death and further probe is underway.