Mumbai Boiler Blast: Death Toll Rises To 10, Factory Owners Booked - Top 10 Updates

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As many as ten people have died in a boiler blast that occurred in Thane's Dombivali area in Maharashtra on Thursday, while several have been injured, according to PTI.

The owners of Amudan Chemicals, situated in Phase 2 of Dombivli MIDC, have had a case of culpable homicide registered against them.

Mumbai Boiler Blast - Top 10 Updates

"The death toll has risen to nine and it might increase as more bodies are suspected to be lying on the premises of the devastated factory. The debris is being cleared," stated Kalyan Tehsildar Sachin Shejal, as reported by The Mint.

LoP in Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve stated that no Industrial Safety Department had been present in the area. He emphasized that such a factory should not have been located near a residential area, labelling it as the biggest crime.

It was pointed out that a technical person should have been on-site, as normal workers or labourers are not equipped to handle a reactor. Expecting a normal labourer to manage such tasks was deemed incorrect. The factory's management was held responsible for the blast, and the Industrial Safety Department was accused of negligence.

Under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, a meeting had been held in the area, where it was decided that the chemical factories should be relocated. It was noted that this was not the first accident in the industrial area, with the current incident being the fifth or sixth since 2016.

Here are the top updates on the Thane chemical factory blast:

1) According to Shejal, 64 people, including many women from nearby factories, were injured and are receiving treatment in at least six different hospitals. AIMS Hospital in Dombivli is treating two dozen patients. The bodies of the deceased have been sent to government hospitals for post-mortem examinations, he added.

2) Ten fire engines were deployed to control the blaze, with firefighting efforts continuing past 11 p.m. on Thursday. "Now, cooling operations are underway," stated Kailas Nikam of the Disaster Management Cell of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC).

3) Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has ordered a high-level inquiry into the Dombivali boiler blast incident. He also announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for each of the deceased's next of kin and assured that the government would cover the treatment costs for the injured.

4) "A high-level inquiry will be conducted, and an investigation will be carried out against the accused. No one will be spared. The state government will provide ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased. The administration will sponsor the treatment of the injured. The company will also compensate the employees," Shinde told media persons.

5) "The intensity of the blast was very high. Six to seven neighbouring factories have been damaged, as well as residential properties. Highly hazardous companies such as this, which fall under the Red category, will be relocated. The government has decided to move such factories to non-residential areas," the CM added, as quoted by ANI.

6) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said that the administration is providing adequate relief at the incident site. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "The incident of a boiler explosion at Amudan Chemical Company in Dombivli MIDC is tragic. 8 people were involved in this incident; they have been brought out..."

7) "... arrangements have been made to treat the injured and more ambulances have been kept ready. I have discussed this with the collector and he is also reaching the spot within 10 minutes. Teams of NDRF, TDRF, and fire brigade have been called. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said.

8) A senior official from the Thane police commissioner said several police teams have been formed to probe the case. Those government officials responsible for granting permissions and carrying out inspections will be probed, the Tehsildar said.

9) The affected chemical factory produced food colours and uses peroxides that are highly reactive and unstable chemicals that can cause violent explosions under certain conditions, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said on Thursday.

10) The blast was so loud that it was heard a kilometre away, an eyewitness said.