Massive boiler blast rocks Dombivli MIDC Phase 2
A massive blast at the Dombivli MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) Phase 2 rocked Maharashtra’s Thane on Thursday afternoon, killing at least 8 people and injuring 60 others.
Officials reported that a boiler had exploded at Amudan Chemical Company located in the Dombivli MIDC area at around 1:30 p.m. in the afternoon, resulting in a massive fire that engulfed three factories located nearby and damaged several others.
A fire broke out at a factory in Thane’s Dombiwali after a boiler explosion on Thursday. Eight people died, and at least 60 were injured. Several people are feared trapped. pic.twitter.com/QTRb2wAMyY
— Perpelix (@perpelix) May 23, 2024
Locals in the surrounding area reported having heard the loud explosion that cracked the windows of several buildings located nearby and also damaged many vehicles in the area. Soon after the blast, thick smoke was seen to be rising from the factory, which soon spread to three nearby factories by the time the fire brigade arrived.
The Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation, Yasin Tadvi, said that over eight fire brigade vehicles were dispatched to contain the fire initially. He stated that the initial fire at Amudan Chemical Company had spread to Amber Organic Company and Modern Industrial Gases Pvt. Limited by the time the first responders arrived.
He added that after the severity of the incident was established, 13 personnel from the Thane Disaster Response Force as well as several teams from the Thane Municipal Corporation’s Regional Disaster Management Cell arrived on scene to assist in controlling the blazes.
The Chemical Factory Blast creates panic among locals
Eyewitnesses to the massive explosion reported the blast to be audible over three kilometres away, with thick plumes of black smoke rising high above the Dombivli area in Thane.
Civil Défense Officer Bimal Nathwani, who was in the area at the time of the explosion, reported that the blast rocked the building he was in, even though it was located 1.5 km away from the factory fire. “The approximate blast radius was 5 km,” he added.
Maharashtra’s Industries Minister, Uday Samant, also arrived on scene shortly after the incident. He said, “8 bodies have been recovered by disaster management authorities so far, while over 60 people were rushed to AIMS and Neptune hospitals in Thane, where they are currently under treatment.”
The blast has created panic among local residents, as the severity of the explosion was evident by the large number of damaged residential buildings in the surrounding area.
Another Video #Dombivli midc fire : Huge explosion in company in Dombivli MIDC; The ground shook, the windows of houses broke, flames and smoke billowed pic.twitter.com/zJSTFaIkxi
— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) May 23, 2024
Dombivli, a development hub located in Thane, houses several highly hazardous chemical plants in close proximity to residential buildings. The incident on Thursday has once again highlighted the government’s callousness in planning industrial expansion projects with no regard for human safety.
Maharashtra CM orders a high-level inquiry into the Dombivli blast
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister (CM), Eknath Shinde, ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident while promising to shift highly hazardous chemical companies to non-residential areas.
He also announced that the state government will pay Rs. 5 lakhs in compensation to the kin of the deceased workers, while the companies responsible for the incident will sponsor the treatment of the injured and will also compensate the employees.
डोंबिवली एमआयडीसीतील अमुदान केमिकल कंपनीत बॉयलरचा स्फोट झाल्याची घटना दु:खद आहे.
8 जण या घटनेत अडकले होते. त्यांना बाहेर काढण्यात आले आहे. जखमींच्या उपचाराची व्यवस्था करण्यात आली असून आणखी रुग्णवाहिका सज्ज ठेवण्यात आल्या आहेत. जिल्हाधिकार्यांशी माझी चर्चा झाली असून, तेही 10…— Devendra Fadnavis (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Dev_Fadnavis) May 23, 2024
The state’s Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, took to X (formerly Twitter) to state, “The incident of a boiler explosion at Amudan Chemical Company in Dombivli MIDC is tragic. The bodies of the eight deceased individuals have been recovered by disaster management authorities. Arrangements have been made to treat the injured, and more ambulances have been kept ready. I have discussed the incident with the collector, and he will be reaching the spot within 10 minutes. Teams of the NRDS, TDRF, and fire brigade have arrived on scene. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
