Kannur (Keralam) |An oxygen cylinder fell from a moving mini lorry and exploded, killing a 48-year-old man riding a motorcycle at Pappinisseri in this district, police said on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Sreejith, an employee of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) in Thaliparamba.

According to police, the accident occurred around 9 pm on Friday when Sreejith was returning home to Chirakkal on his motorcycle after work.

The cylinder reportedly fell from a mini lorry carrying oxygen cylinders near Chungam on the national highway and landed on Sreejith, exploding on impact, police said.

Police are yet to ascertain how the cylinder fell.

It is suspected that the lorry's rear door may have opened, causing the cylinder to fall, officials said.

Sreejith was rushed to a private hospital in Pappinisseri in a critical condition but succumbed to his injuries.

The Valapattanam police have taken the lorry into custody as part of the investigation.