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Garment factory employee, 19, ‘steamed’ to death at workplace
View(s):A 19-year-old garment factory employee died of burns after being exposed to a steam machine at his workplace in Dabagahawatte, Minuvangoda, on Wednesday, a corner’s inquiry was told. The victim, M.P.R. Dileepana was a machine operator in a garment factory in Minuwangoda.
Lasantha De Silva, another machine operator at the factory, who witnessed the incident, at the inquiry, said that, on the morning of the fateful day, Dileepana had informed the supervisor of his inability to work because his fingers were injured, but the supervisor had ordered him to work.
“When Dileepana’s machine stopped working, he opened its door without taking any precautions, and he was immediately exposed to intense heat and sustained burns,” Lasantha said. Another witness, Abeykon Dharshana Bandara said that he had heard a loud explosion and the machine had stopped working. He also noticed that the machine had not been locked properly, which may have caused the accident.
He said Dileepana’s skin had pealed off. He was pronounced dead on admission to the hospital. Inquirer of Sudden Deaths M. Ashroof Rumi conducted the inquiry.
The postmortem examination conducted by JMO Dr R.S.A. Dicram revealed that death was due to severe burns.