Three labourers died in a blast in an under-maintenance ammonia tank at a plant of Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd (ZACL) in Vasco town in south Goa on Tuesday afternoon, company sources said.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant tweeted “It is very unfortunate to hear about the tragic death of three labourers in a blast of the under maintenance Ammonia Tank at Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited plant at Vasco. The State machinery has immediately responded and are making every effort to bring normalcy to the situation.”

Sawant clarified there was no gas leakage after the explosion in the ammonia tank. “I urge the locals not to panic and not to believe any rumours. There is no gas leakage and the matter is being monitored by the Government,” the CM said in another tweet.

Sources in ZACL said the deceased were not staffers of the company but were hired by a contractor. They said the blast occurred when the labourers were removing nuts and? bolts of the tank, which was scheduled to be shut down from May 30.

“Instead of using cold works technology as recommended,? they were using gas cutting equipment due to which the blast occurred,” the sources said.

-With PTI Input