At least 18 killed in chemical factory fire

PUNE: At least 18 people, including 15 women, were killed in a fire that broke out on Monday at an industrial plant near Pune. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has ordered a probe into the incident, a statement from his office said.

PUNE: At least 18 people were charred to death in a major fire that broke out at an industrial plant in Urawade village near Pirangut, around 40 kilometres from Pune, on Monday, officials familiar with the matter said.

While 41 workers had reported to duty, 18 of them were trapped inside the plant when the fire broke out, Sandesh Shirke, sub-divisional officer of Maval, Mulshi area, said. “We have so far recovered 18 charred bodies. Two people were found alive and moved to a private hospital on Karve Road, Pune, for treatment,” Shirke said.

The victims, which included 15 women, were local villagers working at the plant, officials said. The fire, officials added, broke out at around 4pm in SVS Aqua Technologies which manufactures chemicals used in water purifiers. The fire brigade department of Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority pressed eight fire tender units to douse the flames which was brought under control by around 6:45pm. “The company will be in a better position to tell why most of them were women,” Shrike said. Suhas Diwase, PMRDA chief executive officer, said the bodies recovered were beyond recognition. “We will know about their identity after medical examination,” Diwase said. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a statement said that an inquiry had been ordered and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh to kin of each deceased.