Nine dead in blast at Nagpur explosives manufacturing firm; kin wait for bodies

Nagpur: Nine people were killed and three others seriously injured in a blast at an explosives manufacturing factory in Chakdoh in Maharashtra's Nagpur district on Sunday, police said.

In a statement, Ashish Srivastava, senior general manager of Solar Industries India Limited, said, "A tragic incident occurred at 9am in building number HR-CPCH-2 (Mixing, Melting and Casting) in which nine workers lost their lives." Angry locals and relatives of workers blocked the Amravati-Nagpur highway running along the site of the explosives manufacturing unit, with may shouting slogans and demanding access to the premises so that they could see the bodies of their loved ones.

A mob of around 200 persons also stood outside the gate, while police tried to pacify they and asked them disperse.

A senior police official told PTI that there were explosives near the spot and the process of securing the explosives was underway and, thereafter, the bodies will be recovered, a police official said.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde arrived at the site some time after 9:15pm and spoke to kin of the deceased. He took information about the incident from civic, police and company officials, a District Information Office release said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister too visited the blast site and spoke to relatives of the deceased. In a message on social media platform X, Fadnavis said the state government will provide compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the dead, while the amount from the company would be Rs 20 lakh each.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who visited the spot, said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Senior Congressman and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said the state government must give Rs 50 lakh as compensation to the kin of those who had died and jobs.

An offence must be registered against the owner of the company for the incident, he added.

Wadettiwar and party colleague Sunil Kedar a visited the factory site.

Such is the impact of the blast that there is no trace of the bodies and finding them will be difficult, Wadettiwar said.

He also questioned the safety norms and wanted to know details of the training given to the deceased and their skill sets.

He said he will raise the issue in the Assembly on Monday. The Winter Session of the Legislature is currently underway in Nagpur.

Earlier, Srivastava said the company was fully committed to providing all support and relief to the families of the deceased today and in the future.

"We shall implement the recommendations of the inquiry committee as soon as they are received," he said in the statement.

Speaking to reporters earlier, Srivastava said the incident occurred in the building where boosters used in coal mines are produced. It took place when sealing work of the product was going on, he added.

"Nine people have died. The injured workers have been rushed to hospital. All the workers have been evacuated from the building," he added.

A Kondhali police station official said 12 persons were present in the unit when the incident took place.

Fadnavis said nine people, including six women, died in the blast at Solar Industries.

It is a company that manufactures drones and explosives for the armed forces, he said.

"I am in touch with the Nagpur collector and superintendent of police. The IG, SP and collector are at the site," Fadnavis added.

The nine deceased have been identified as Yuvraj Charode, Omeshwar Macchirke, Mita Uikey, Aarti Sahare, Swetali Marbate, Pushpa Manapure, Bhagyashree Lonare, Rumita Uikey and Mausam Patle, a police official said.

Authorities are assessing the extent of damage, conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion and ensuring safety of the surrounding areas, Superintendent of Police Harsh Poddar said.

Till late Sunday night, the bodies had not been removed from the site, police officials said.

Speaking to reporters, NCP MLA and former state home minister Anil Deshmukh, who visited the site, said the entire area had been sealed and the bodies will not be recovered till the entire area is secured and safe.

Neelkanthrao Sahare, whose daughter Aarti (22) is among the deceased, said he wanted nothing from the authorities apart from the body being handed over to him.

Aarti supported her speech-impaired mother and a younger sister, said Sahare, who himself walks with a limp due to a paralytic attack in the past.

"I have been waiting outside the factory gate since 9:30am. I don't want anything. Just hand over my daughter's body," he said.

Thirty-two-year-old Rumita Uikey, a mother of two, also lost her life in the industrial accident.

Her father Devidas Irpati, who was waiting outside the production facility, said he learnt about the accident through others.

Rumita, who lived at Khairi near the explosives manufacturing unit, was supposed to visit her paternal home at Dhamangaon on Sunday, he said.

Devidas said Rumita has two sons and her husband works as a farm labourer.

"We have no idea when they will hand over Rumita’s body to us. We are waiting here for that," Devidas said.