7 Dead in Blast at Chemical Factory in Maharashtra’s Palghar

More than six people were killed and seven injured after an explosion at a medical gas manufacturing factory at Boisar in Maharashtra‘s Palghar district. The under-construction plant of Ank Pharma, where the explosion took place, is located in a Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area at Kolwade village of Boisar, around 100 km from Mumbai.

Palghar Additional Superintendent of Police Vikrant Deshmukh confirmed the number of casualties. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s office has announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the family members of those killed in the fire.

As reported by sources to PTI, The blast, which took place during the testing of some chemicals around 7.20 pm, was so huge that it was heard within a 15-km radius and the window panes of some houses in the surrounding area shattered. The under-construction plant building collapsed after the explosion. The rescue operation was underway till late at night.

Sources further added, While eight were killed in the explosion, the injured were being extricated from debris. A fire started after the blast but it was put down. Deceased have been identified as Sakhi Madan (39), Nishu Singh (26), Madhuri Singh (46), watchman Ansari and worker Gokul Jadhav (18). Dead includes two women, two men, including a security guard. Natvarbhai Patel, owner and one of the four directors of the chemical plant is among injured. Among injured are two children, aged 3 and 2.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was monitoring the relief and rescue operation himself. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team had been called for rescue operations, officials said.

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