Five workers killed, five injured in reactor explosion at Bharuch chemical unit

An explosion at a pharmaceutical intermediates plant in Gujarat's Bharuch district on the night of Friday, October 16, killed five workers and injured five others, according to reports by Mathrubhumi, Odisha Bytes and Pratidin Time.

What happened

The blast occurred at about 10 pm at SynZeal Pharmachem in the Saykha GIDC industrial area, Vagra taluka, according to Mathrubhumi. Bharuch Sub-Divisional Magistrate Manisha Manani said the unit makes pharmaceutical intermediates and began operating in the area about a year earlier. The explosion reportedly occurred during a hydrogenation process, per all three outlets. Manani said the force tore apart a reactor tank and scattered machinery parts across the premises.

Bharuch Superintendent of Police Akshyaraj Makwana confirmed five deaths and five injuries, according to Mathrubhumi and Odisha Bytes. The reports say the dead were workers from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, and the injured, who are being treated, are from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. They are not named here.

Gas leak

An official of the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) said the explosion released methylene dichloride, also called dichloromethane, a toxic industrial solvent, into the industrial estate, according to Mathrubhumi and Odisha Bytes. Mathrubhumi reports that the extent of the leak and its possible effect on nearby areas were still awaited when it published. Odisha Bytes reports that officials had to assess air-safety and contamination risks alongside the rescue work. The reports read do not say whether any nearby residents were affected.

Investigation

The unit, which makes pharmaceutical intermediates, is in an industrial estate in Vagra taluka. Teams from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, DISH and the local police went to the site. Authorities have begun an investigation into what caused the reactor to explode and whether safety procedures were followed, Mathrubhumi reports. Mathrubhumi says preliminary findings point to the hydrogenation process, but that the exact cause has yet to be established. Odisha Bytes adds that the inquiry will look at safety protocols, equipment condition and process handling.

What is not yet known

The cause of the explosion, the effect of the gas release on surrounding areas, and whether the unit's safety procedures were followed are not stated in the reports read.