Three people were killed and another three injured when a gas cylinder exploded in Soacha, a municipality located on the outskirts of Colombia’s capital, Bogota.
The gas cylinder, which was located in a metallurgy workshop, is believed to have exploded due to poor maintenance and handling.
The commander of the Cundinamarca department police force, Fabio Castañeda, said the area had been evacuated to avoid any more injuries. Firemen and anti-explosives personnel are securing the area. Ten surrounding buildings were damaged in the blast.
The injured were rushed to hospital, where they remain in a serious condition.
Castañeda ruled out the possibility that the incident was a terrorist attack.
This is the second fatal explosion in a metallurgy factory in the last two weeks.
On May 20 one man died and three people were injured in a gas explosion in an industrial zone in Bogota.