(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-18 11:43

KUALA LUMPUR -- Three workers at the Malayan Flour Mill were killed and four others injured, including one in serious condition, when an explosion occurred in a tunnel at the factory premises in Segari, northern Perak state on Monday, local media reported on Tuesday.

One died at the scene while the other two died in the hospital.

Initial investigations revealed the workers were carrying out some welding work when the incident occurred, said Ahmad Rabawi Abd Jamil, acting police chief of Manjung, Perak.

Other workers managed to pull the victims from the rubble of the collapsed 200m concrete tunnel which was used to convey grain from a jetty to the factory.

Operations were stopped pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident, a factory spokesman said.