Date:06/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/06/stories/2007050603521000.htm

National

21 feared dead in a blast in an explosives factory near Nashik

Special Correspondent

Unit manufactured Class-II explosives used for rock-blasting, well-digging

MUMBAI: Twenty-one persons were feared dead and five injured in a massive blast at an explosives factory at Harsule-Pashte in Maharashtra in the early hours of Saturday.

The blast, which occurred at 1.20 a.m., destroyed the two-storey building of Premier Explochem Ltd, makers of Class-II explosives used for rock-blasting and well-digging. The factory was located about 35 km from Nashik on the Pune-Nashik road.

Special Inspector-General of Police, Nashik Range, P.K. Jain told The Hindu that three bodies were found while 18 were missing.

The police feared that the missing persons must have been blown to pieces.

The authorities had earlier thought that they would be found under the debris. But the removal of wreckage by Saturday evening revealed no more bodies. One of the injured was in a critical condition.

Mr. Jain said most of the dead and the injured were employees but it was possible that some persons engaged in unloading chemicals from a truck at the time of explosion were among those missing.

Police sources said the cause of the explosion was under investigation.

A case of accidental deaths has been registered.

No arrest was made but two persons were interrogated.

Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, who holds the Home portfolio, and PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, guardian minister of Nasik, visited the blast site and announced an ex-gratia of Rs. one lakh to the next of kin of the dead and Rs. 15,000 to the injured.