BHARUCH: At least five workers were killed and six injured after a 15-kilolitre reactor exploded during a hydrogenation process at a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Gujarat’s Bharuch district late on Friday night, with a reported methylene dichloride (MDC) gas leak adding to the impact of the incident, according to reports on Saturday.
The explosion occurred at SynZeal Pharmachem in the Saykha Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estate in Vagra taluka.
The force of the blast sent debris from the reactor beyond the company premises, while machinery parts and metal sheets were scattered across the plant, according to reports.
The subsequent gas leak reportedly left the area shrouded in dust and haze, with workers and others at the site complaining of severe eye irritation.
The injured were taken to hospitals in Bharuch and Vadodara for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were shifted to Bharuch Civil Hospital.
The incident triggered panic across the industrial estate, prompting police and district authorities to reach the site and initiate rescue operations.
Teams from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and the Industrial Safety and Health Department also began an investigation into the explosion and the circumstances surrounding the reported chemical leak.
Bharuch Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Manisha Manani, said the blast occurred during the hydrogenation process. Officials are examining the cause of the explosion and whether the unit complied with applicable industrial safety requirements.
The precise cause has not yet been established. Four of the deceased were reportedly identified as Jaideep Patel, 27, a shift in-charge from Vagra; Aniketkumar Harikishor, 24; Arjun Ramsingh Gautam, 20; and Vrund Talavia.
Authorities were still verifying the identity of the fifth victim. The company had reportedly begun operations with 53 employees and had not completed a year at the Saykha GIDC estate.
The investigation is expected to establish what caused the reactor to explode, the extent of the chemical release and whether any safety lapses contributed to the deaths and injuries.