25 May,2024 03:43 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
The site of Dombivli factory blast/ Satej Shinde
The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has urged residents to contact a civic hospital if any of their family members went missing following the recent Dombivli factory blast. On Thursday, an explosion triggered by a boiler blast and subsequent fire at Amudan Chemicals in Dombivli MIDC's Phase 2 killed nine people and injured over 60 more, reported PTI.
According to the report, the KDMC has announced the launch of a helpline at the Shastri Nagar Hospital for kin of those affected by the Dombivli factory blast, which is managed by the city. Citizens may contact the help desk at 0251-2481073 or 0251-2495338.
Officials indicated that estimating the precise number of fatalities is difficult because body parts have been collected from the scene. DNA tests will be needed to confirm the death toll.
KDMC reported that 68 individuals were injured in the Dombivli factory blast. Of them, 42 have been discharged, while 26 are still in various hospitals, including 12 in the ICU. All patients are now stable.
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On Thursday, 12 firefighters and 52 water tankers were deployed to extinguish the fire. Debris and solid garbage from the facility are transferred to Taloja for processing.
The explosion and subsequent fire devastated surrounding factories and homes.
Survivor of the Dombivli factory blast recounts horror
"It was like 'pralay' (cataclysm) for five seconds, and everything was over," said Avdesh Kumar, a worker at Dombivli's chemical industry, where an explosion killed nine people and injured over 60 on Thursday.
Kumar, who was hurt in the Dombivli factory blast, described the mayhem and terror as metal fragments and debris flew in every direction. "The sky was full of flying metal bits and glass. "It was total havoc," he told the journalists after receiving treatment.
He described how a "flying 5-kg angle" struck him in the back, resulting in considerable bleeding and discomfort. Kumar sought assistance in the chaos, while everyone else was fleeing for their lives. "Everyone was running helter-skelter, trying to save their lives," he stated.
The huge bomb devastated the factory, toppling the roof and structure. "Nothing is left now," Kumar explained.
With PTI inputs