KEY POINTS
- The bodies of the seven workers were found during cooling and search operations following the blast
- The fire broke out in the chemical plant due to a massive explosion inside a chemical storage tank
- Tetrahydrofuran, a highly flammable chemical substance, was inside the tank
Seven workers, who went missing after a fire broke out at a chemical factory in India, were found dead Thursday morning. Around 27 others were injured in the incident.
Local officials said the blaze tore through the plant of Indian specialty chemicals maker Aether Industries in the West Indian state of Gujarat.
The workers were trapped by the blaze that broke out Wednesday in the chemical factory, located in the city of Surat. The bodies of the deceased were recovered Thursday morning, while cooling and search operations were taking place at the plant.
“We have found seven dead bodies from the factory,” J.R. Chaudhari, a police officer, told Reuters.
“At least 24 workers suffered injuries and were rushed to a hospital where they are undergoing treatment,” Surat in-charge chief fire officer Basant Pareek said.
Officials noted that the fire broke out in the chemical plant around 2 a.m. due to a massive explosion inside a chemical storage tank. Tetrahydrofuran, a highly flammable chemical substance, was inside the tank.
“The fire spread due to leakage in a highly inflammable solvent tank and pipeline,” a fire official said.
A number of workers were inside the chemical factory when the fire spread to more than 32,290 sq. feet of the plant.
“Over 200 workers were working in the plant and the majority moved out while those injured were shifted to hospital,” said Kamalvijay Tulsian, the chairman of Aether Industries.
Aether Industries produces advanced intermediates and speciality chemicals involving complex and differentiated chemistry and technology core competencies, according to their website. Their products are used in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, material science, and other segments of the chemical industry.
The company promised compensation to the deceased workers’ family members and will cover the medical expenses of the injured. Compensation will also be given “in case of any permanent disability,” Aether Industries said.
“All regulatory and government compensation to the families of all deceased shall be completed expeditiously and fully,” the company said in a statement.
The plant is expected to be shut for a few days for thorough inspection.
Tulsian said the fire may have weakened the plant’s structure, and the company will be waiting for approval from officials, after which “detailed checking from inside will be possible. We follow all the safety norms.”
