Nashik | Two workers were killed and 14 others injured after a massive explosion at a factory at Igatpuri in Maharashtra’s Nashik district on Sunday, officials said. A call about an explosion and fire in a boiler at Jindal Polyfilms Company’s plant in Gonde village was received around 11.30 am. Local eyewitnesses claimed that at least 250 workers were working in the premises, but most of them managed to escape outside.
Fire teams managed to rescue at least 14 injured and recovered bodies of 2 workers. According to a medical official, the condition of at least four of the injured is stated to be critical. Nashik Collector Gangadharan D. and Superintendent of Police Rural Sachin Patil reviewed the situation.
About a dozen fire tenders from Igatpuri and Nashik city reached the spot to douse the fire. The plume of smoke was visible from a distance and the massive explosion shook many residents in at least two dozen villages on New Year’s Day.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Rural Development Minister Dada Bhuse reached the accident site. Shinde announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the two deceased and said the government would bear the entire cost of the treatment of the injured. “It is a huge tragedy… I have ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident,” he said.
Later, the CM and Bhuse along with other officials visited the local hospital where the injured were admitted and interacted with them. Union Minister of State for Health Dr Bharat Pawar is monitoring the situation from New Delhi.
