India: 3 dead, 13 Injured in Chemical Boiler Explosion

A major fire broke out after an explosion inside a boiler at a chemicals company in Boisar-Tarapur industrial estate in Palghar district, Maharashtra around midnight on 8th March, police said.

NDTV reported that three people have died and 13 people are injured, in which three of them are serious.

The blaze started after a massive explosion inside a boiler at a company named Ramedeo Chemicals, an official said, adding there were no immediate details about any casualty in the incident.

The impact of the boiler blast was felt in the villages around 8 kms vicinity, he said.

There was a fire after boiler blast in the Boisar industrial estate. Our team has reached the spot with the fire brigade, Manjunath Singe, Superintendent of Police, Palghar told PTI.

The fire has spread to other companies adjacent to the company and details about casualty is yet to be ascertained, he said.

There are chemical drums inside these companies, due to which the fire is spreading, he said.

Tarapur Atomic Power Station, which is also situated on Boisar-Tarapur Road is around 20 kms away from the spot, he added. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and firefighting operation is on, another official said.

The factory manufactures speciality chemicals and cosmetic preservatives dealing with high purity acid and acid anhydrides. It also owns a manufacturing unit in Dahisar. From Novaphene, the fire spread to adjoining factories— Aarti Drugs, Prachi Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Bharat Vasayan and Unimax. Prachi Ltd is an iodine salt manufacturer, while Aarti Drugs manufactures vitamins and antibiotics. Aarti Drug’s staffer Sunil Yadav said he heard a loud explosion while he was working at night, Indian Express reported.