Two workers killed, 20 injured after boiler explosion at pharma factory in Gujarat

Bharuch: At least two workers were killed and 20 others injured after a boiler exploded and triggered a major fire at a pharmaceutical factory in Bharuch district of Gujarat in the wee hours of Wednesday, an official said.

The incident took place around 2.30 am at the factory located in Saykha GIDC area, he said.

"A powerful boiler explosion inside the factory triggered a massive fire," Bharuch District Collector Gaurang Makwana said, adding that the blaze was later brought under control.

"The intensity of the blast was so severe that the factory structure collapsed. While the majority of workers managed to escape, two of them got trapped and died. Their bodies were recovered from the rubble after the fire was doused. Nearly 20 workers escaped with minor injuries in the incident," he said.

Teams of fire brigade, police and forensic experts are thoroughly checking the spot as some workers claimed that one person went missing and was possibly trapped inside the building after the explosion, Makwana said.

According to him, officials from the Director Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) have also arrived at the site to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

They are checking whether the factory had all the required licences and permissions, he said.