Nepal Brick Kiln Blast: Six Indians, Including Three Minors Killed

Six Indians, including three minors, have died in a blast at a brick kiln in south-eastern Nepal.

Image for representative purposes. (Photo: iStockphoto)

Six Indians, including three minors, and two locals were killed after a brick kiln chimney collapsed in an explosion in Nepal’s south-eastern city of Itahari.

The incident took place on Monday night at the New Jaya Nepal Brick Factory, police said, adding that the dead Indians were from West Bengal and Bihar.

Around one million raw bricks were being baked when the explosion took place. The smoke produced during the production could not pass out of the 105-foot chimney, resulting in its collapse.

Police have identified the six-deceased as Saddam Hussain, 14, Salun Miya, 16, and Rahul Miya, 12, from West Bengal and Mithalesh Paswan, 35, and Gariblal Paswan, 25, and Rustfa Miya from Bihar.

Twenty-four others were injured in the incident, of which 17 are reportedly critical and are being treated in different hospitals.

Local resident Tikaram Chaudhary said that the upper part of the chimney was destroyed by the April 25 earthquake and was recently repaired. He added that wood and plastics kept in chimney holes during the repair had remained there, which could have aided the explosion. The kiln in fact had reopened on December 14.