Blast rocks Badlapur MIDC, 3 injured

Mumbai: A man lost both his legs and his wife and daughter were severely injured after a reactor at a Badlapur-based chemical company exploded early in the morning on Monday and a metal piece from it fell on their tenement located around 400 metres away. Although no employees of the company were injured in the incident, it damaged at least 12 tenements in the nearby chawl, said officials.
The incident occurred around 4:15am, when a reactor and receiver at Rear Pharma Private Ltd, which produces benzole – a chemcial used to manufacture pharmaceutical tablets, exploded during an ongoing reaction process. The factory is located inside the Manekewadi MIDC in Badlapur.
“A fire broke out soon after that destroyed the entire factory,” said Bhagat Sonone, a fire brigade official. “Although we do not know the exact cause of the explosion, the fire was likely caused by a large stock of methanol stored inside the factory premises,” he said. Methanol, a highly flammable substance, is used to manufacture benzole, and the chemical was stored in bulk in the factory, said officials. The fire was brought under control in four hours, they added.
Meanwhile, the explosion was so powerful that a 100-kilogramme receiver went flying through the air before crashing into a nearby chawl in Rambaug, said Badlapur fire brigade officials.
“I heard a loud noise and stepped outside, only to see pieces of machinery on fire falling onto the chawl,” said Maruti Fulore, a priest who had just begun cleaning the temple in the neighbourhood when the explosion rocked the area. “I have never seen anything like this before,” he said, visibly shaken from the experience.
A large piece of the receiver crashed through the roof of Ghanshyam Mistry’s tenement in the chawl, injuring him, his wife Dhanshree, and his daughter Siya, who were all asleep.
Yash Dalvi, their neighbour, said they broke open the door to the tenement after they heard Dhanashree crying for help. “The door was closed from inside, so we had to break it open. When we entered, we found a large iron piece had crashed through their roof and landed on uncle’s leg. Even aunty and the girl were injured on their legs,” said Dalvi.
Three persons were required to lift the piece of machinery that landed on Mistry’s legs, he said. “It took an hour to get an ambulance because all private and government hospitals in Badlapur initially refused to provide treatment,” said Dalvi. The couple were taken to JJ Hospital in south Mumbai for treatment, where Mistry’s legs were amputated, said neighbours. Their daughter Siya, who was injured on her left foot, was treated in Badlapur and is being looked after by the neighbours.
“We have registered a case against the company’s owner,” said Shubhada Shitole, senior police inspector attached with the Badlapur East police station.