Khartoum, December 4: A significant number of Indian workers were part of the 23 people who were fatally injured in an explosion in Khartoum. The, blast reported on Tuesday, was caused due to a leakage in one of the gas tankers installed at the "Saloomi" ceramics factory in the Sudan capital. Apart from 23 deaths, over 130 workers were left injured due to the blast, reports said. Sudan: 37 Killed, 200 Injured in Clashes Between Bani Amer and Nuba Tribes.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed the demise of Indian workers on Wednesday. The government is attempting to ascertain the identities of the deceased and bring back the mortal remains of the deceased. The Indian embassy in Sudan has been put on a 24-hour alert, Jaishankar said.

"Have just received the tragic news of a major blast in a ceramic factory “Saloomi” in the Bahri area of the capital Khartoum in Sudan. Deeply grieved to learn that some Indian workers have lost their lives while some others have been seriously injured," he tweeted.

"The Embassy representative has rushed to the site. A 24-hour emergency hotline +249-921917471 has been set up by  @EoI_Khartoum. Embassy is also putting out updates on social media. Our prayers are with the workers and their families," the Minister added.

S Jaishankar Tweets on Sudan Factory Blast

The Indian embassy officials in Khartoum, while speaking to reporters, said upto 50 Indians are expected to be employed at the ceramics factory where the explosion was reported. Some media outlets claimed that among the deceased are 18 Indian workers. Officials, however, did not confirm the number of Indian fatalities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 04, 2019 05:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).