Maharashtra chemical factory explosion claims lives

Dhule, Maharastra: Update:

At least 12 people were killed and around 50 injured after a series of explosions at a chemical factory in the western Indian state of Maharashtra on Saturday, hospital officials and police said.

An official at Shirpur's sub-district hospital in Dhule district said that 12 people had died in the explosion. "There are around 37 injured admitted here, and we have transferred another 12 patients," D.N. Wagh told Reuters.

The first explosion at the factory took place around 9.30am (0400 GMT), police officer Sanjay Ahire said. Videos from the incident on local news channels showed thick black smoke billowing out of the factory.

"There was a 200-litre chemical barrel that exploded first, then the fire spread to other parts of the factory and there were more blasts," Ahire said.

Death toll rises to 10

At least 10 persons have been reportedly killed and over 40 others injured in a massive blast at a chemical factory in Maharashtra's Dhule district on Saturday morning, an official said.

"The blast rocked homes and buildings in its surrounding areas and was followed by a huge fire with clouds of black smoke billowing out," said Sanjay Ahire, an officer at the Shirpur Police Station.

A hospital official told IANS that so far at least 10 persons have died while another 43 have been injured, many of them critically.

The blast is believed to have taken place in a boiler of the Mumbai-based Rumit International's Rumit Chemisynth factory in the Waghadi area on the outskirts of Shirpur.

Given the intensity of the blast and the fire that followed it, officials fear that the death toll may rise.

Early pictures of the blast site showed a factory building with all its walls blown off with its neighbouring buildings also sustaining damage.

Firefighters were engaged in dousing the fire while rescue teams have rushed the injured to the nearby hospitals. Some critical victims have been rushed to Dhule.

Initial report

The Superintendent of police of Dhule, Vishwas Pandhare, was quoted by news agency ANI saying 6 people are dead and 43 injured in the factory explosion.

"The blast rocked homes and buildings in its surrounding and was followed by a huge fire with clouds of black smoke billowing out," Shirpur Police Station official Sanjay Ahire told IANS.

Earlier reports said, more than 20 people are feared dead in an explosion in a chemical factory in Dhule, Maharashtra. About 80 people are thought to be trapped. The factory is located in Waghadi village in Shirpur taluka; the incident reportedly took place around 9.45am on Saturday morning.

At least 15 people have been injured in an explosion in a chemical factory in Dhule,Maharashtra, news agency ANI reported.

Police and rescue teams have been dispatched to the location.

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"Prima facie, multiple cylinders exploded at the factory. At least eight bodies have been recovered by police and rescue teams so far. Rescue operation is on," a Shirpur police station officer was quoted as saying by media.

More details awaited.