Eight people were charred to death when a massive fire broke out after an explosion in a chemical factory at Dahej, in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, on Wednesday.
“Around 45-50 workers suffered burn injuries after the boiler of an agro-chemical company exploded in the afternoon. They have been shifted to hospitals and efforts are on to control the fire,” said Bharuch collector M.D. Modia.
The fire engulfed the entire Yashashvi Rasayan factory, prompting the district authorities to shift the residents of Lakhi and Luvara villages located nearby as a precautionary measure fearing leakage of poisonous chemicals.
Several fire tenders were rushed from Bharuch to control the blaze.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said the State was witnessing a steady rise in industrial accidents.
“The State govt must ensure factories have completed safety audits. We are concerned that recent changes to labour laws will incentivise unsafe work conditions,” he said in a tweet.
In January this year, eight persons were killed in a blast in a gas bottling plant near Vadodara.
