At least eight workers died and 11 others sustained burn injuries due to leakage of steam from a boiler in a Faisalabad sugar mill on Tuesday.
The incident occurred during maintenance work at Kashmir Sugar Mill, situated on Cantt Road in Shorkor area, when a boiler’s valve was accidentally opened causing burn injuries to the workers.
Muhammad Ishaq, Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Ahmad, Muhammad Sajjad and Muhammad Ashraf were among the eight workers who succumbed to their injuries on the spot.
The injured, among others, were identified as Noor Ahmad, Shah Mumtaz, Muhammad Asrar, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Faisal, Muhammad Waris and Muhammad Jamil who were shifted to the district headquarter hospital.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the mill claimed that the accident had happened due to the negligence of the workers who switched on the valve of the boiler steam. An inquiry has been initiated to bring those responsible to justice, he added.
There was no report of an independent inquiry into the workers’ deaths.