Three more dead were found on Friday after the explosion that killed eleven people at a chemical facility in Maharashtra’s Thane district. In the Thursday afternoon event, more than sixty persons were injured.
Food colours are produced in the Dombivli MIDC region by the Malay Mehta-owned facility, Amudan Chemicals Private Limited. As stated by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), peroxides are volatile compounds that can react violently and cause explosions.
The initial blast, followed by subsequent explosions, caused widespread damage within a 4-km radius, shattering glass windows and damaging rooftops. Smoke billowed from the site as neighboring factories, including Amber Chemical Company, MKG, and Metropolitan, caught fire. The force of the explosion even damaged nearby establishments like the Ganesh Bhuvan eatery.
Despite nearly eight hours of efforts, the fire’s cause remains unknown. Meanwhile, the state authorities have taken legal action against the factory owners and announced compensation for the victims’ families.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the site, pledging support and announcing measures to address industrial safety concerns, including the suspension of hazardous companies in the area and the formation of a high-level committee for safety audits.