Dombivli boiler blast: CM Shinde visits AIIMS; 8 dead, over 60 injured in massive fire at chemical factory

Eight persons were killed and over 60 others injured after an explosion and fire at a chemical factory in Dombivli area of Maharashtra on Thursday afternoon the officials said reportedA boiler exploded at Amudan Chemicals located in Phase 2 of Dombivli MIDC area around 140 pm the impact of the explosion and the resultant blaze affected adjacent factories and houses the officials saidAccording to the PTI the affected chemical factory produced food colours and uses peroxides that are highly reactive and unstable chemicals that can cause violent explosions under certain conditions the National Disaster Response Force NDRF saidMeanwhileMaharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on Thursday evening visited AIIMS to meet those injured in the incidentAccording to an eyewitness the blast was so loud that it was heard a kilometre away Glass windows of adjoining buildings cracked while many houses in the vicinity were damaged the PTI reportedThick clouds of smoke could be seen hovering over the factory and the surrounding areaSix men and two women were killed in the incident but their bodies were charred beyond recognition said Yasin Tadvi chief of the disaster management cell of the Thane Municipal CorporationAs per the preliminary information those killed were working in neighbouring factories Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant saidThe state Industries and Labour Department issued a statement saying the boiler in the factory was not registered under the India Boiler Regulations 1950Terming the incident as horrible Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that some more people are feared trapped in the factories around the chemical factoryOur priority is to rescue those people Eight persons have lost their lives and more than sixty were injured he said from the factory site according to the news agencyThe government has taken a serious note of the incident and has decided to categorise the industries as A B and C in terms of the hazards they poseAll most hazardous industrial units falling under the red category will be immediately shut across the state Such units will be given an option to shift to another location or change the usage category like engineering and ITThere will be no compromise on the lives of people CM Eknath Shinde saidThe departments concerned will meet to formulate the process of shifting the units he saidThe CM Shinde announced that the kin of those killed in the blast will be given Rs 5 lakh each and the expenses of those injured will be borne by the governmentThe state industries department said the reasons behind the blast will be revealed only after a detailed inquiry in this matterDeputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on X My deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved onesInjured are being treated at AIMS Neptune and Global hospitals and every kind of assistance is being provided Praying for their speedy recovery Various teams and administrative officials are on the spot for rescue operations he addedBesides fire brigade police and local officials the NDRF too was taking part in the rescue operation officials saidwith PTI inputs