4 dead in chemicals factory fire in Palghar, rescue operations underway

Image of the fire that broke out at in Palghar District. Image/Twitter ANI

A major fire broke out after an explosion inside a boiler at a chemicals company in Boisar-Tarapur industrial estate in Palghar district around midnight, police said. The blaze started after a massive explosion inside a boiler at a company named Ramedeo chemicals around 11.40 pm, 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 is a fire after boiler blast in the Boisar industrial estate. Our team has reached the spot with fire brigade, Manjunath Singe, Superintendent of Police, Palghar told PTI.

The fire has spread to another 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 Automic 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 fire fighting operation is on, another official said.

The rescue operations are underway at the chemical factory in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area in Tarapur town of Palghar district that caught fire in the late hours of Thursday.

Palghar District Collector Prashant Narnaware, who reached the accident site in the early hours of Friday, told ANI that work to extinguish the fire and rescue people was underway.

"Around 11:30 pm, we came to know about the incident. Police machinery, revenue machinery and health machinery geared together and they contributed their best to extinguish the fire. Our work of rescue is still continuing," Narnaware said and added that they have been able to control the fire to some extent.

Five workers sustained burn injuries, and they have been admitted to a local hospital.

Seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire, which started from a chemical factory. The blaze had reportedly engulfed two nearby factories too.

Many workers are believed to be still stranded in the factories.

The SP Palghar said, "Fire has come down, but few areas are still burning. Six factories were affected by fire. Novaphene, Unimax, Prachi, Arti, Bharat Rasayan, Darbar. All chemical factories. During the search operation, three unidentified dead bodies are found at Arti industries site. There may be more casualties. Search and rescue operation is going on. Will be updating further details."

The SP of Palgharsaid, in a recent updated, "Names of three persons died in Boisar MIDC Boisar are Pintu Kumar Gautam, Janu Adaria and Alok Nath; All from Arti industries."

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)

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