Death toll rises to 10 in Thane chemical factory blast; owners booked for culpable homicide

Dombivli blast: Tragic chemical factory blast in Dombivli MIDC leaves 10 dead, 64 injured; police probe underway.

The death toll in the chemical factory blast in Maharashtra’s Thane district rose to 10 with the discovery of three more bodies from the accident site, officials said on Friday.

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide against the owners of the unit, Amudan Chemicals, located in Phase 2 of Dombivli MIDC.

Kalyan Tehsildar Sachin Shejal said the death toll has risen to 10 and it might go up as they suspect more bodies are lying on the premises of the devastated factory. “The debris is being cleared,” said the official.

He said 64 persons, including many women from the factories in the vicinity, were injured and are being treated in at least six different hospitals. AIMS hospital in Dombivli is treating two dozen patients, he said.

A boiler exploded at the factory on Thursday afternoon and the impact of the blast and the resultant blaze affected adjacent factories and houses, according to officials.

Ten fire engines were pressed into service to control the blaze and the firefighting went past 11 p.m. on Thursday. “Now, cooling operations are underway,” said Kailas Nikam of the Disaster Management Cell of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC).

The area is filled with the acrid smell of burnt chemicals, he said.