At Dombivli, in Thane district, May 23, 2024, this chemical factory suffered a fire accident and smoke is billowing after a boiler burst.
According to officials, the death toll from the accident site of the explosion at a chemical factory in Maharashtra’s Thane district has risen to ten after three more bodies were found there on Friday.
Police have registered culpable homicide case against Amudan Chemicals located at Phase 2 of Dombivli MIDC.
The number of dead has risen to ten according to Kalyan Tehsildar Sachin Shejal who added that it could increase because they suspect that more bodies may be buried under the debris. “We are clearing the debris,” said an official.
There are also 64 injured persons including many women from nearby factories who are being treated in at least six different hospitals while AIMS hospital in Dombivli is treating two dozen patients, he added
Officials say that following the blast and consequent fire from a boiler at approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday afternoon affected other factories as well as houses abutting them.
Kailas Nikam of Disaster Management Cell of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) informed on Thursday night that ten fire engines were used to put out the fire which lasted till past eleven. “Cooling operations are going on now,” he said.
He also said that his area was filled with acrid smell caused by burnt chemicals.
A revenue department official said “panchnama” or assessment would be done and further action will be taken up.
Dombivli’s Manpada police have registered an FIR under section 304-A IPC (culpable homicide), sections related to explosive substances and hazardous chemicals against owners of this company.
Tehsildar Shejal explained that hospital mortuaries admitted charred bodies belonging to the deceased but the bodies were not recognizable by facial recognition.
According to a senior official of Thane police commissionerate, several teams have been formed already to investigate the case and he said that those government officials who are concerned with granting permissions and carrying out inspections will also be probed into.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stated on Thursday that this affected chemical factory manufactured food colors and used peroxides which are highly reactive and unstable chemicals that can undergo violent explosion under different conditions.
An eyewitness said the blast was so loud that it could be heard from one kilometer away.
It had been reported previously that according to officials many houses in the vicinity were damaged while glass windows of adjoining buildings cracked.
