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3 dead, 2 injured in Palghar soap unit blast
Three workers died and two were injured in a large explosion at Galaxy Surfactants soap unit, located in Plot M3 of Tarapur chemical zone on Monday.
Three workers died and two were injured in a large explosion at Galaxy Surfactants soap unit, located in Plot M3 of Tarapur chemical zone on Monday.
The three deceased workers, Vijay Sawant, 44, Sameer Khoja, 48, and Runal Raut, 35, along with the injured Akhil Raut, 30, and Pranit Raut, 32, were working at the surfactant unit, which manufactures raw materials for sanitizers, soap, detergent, and other products, at the time of the blast. Akhil and Pranit were admitted to a Boisar hospital, said Pradip Kasbe, inspector, Boisar MIDC police station.
The blast occurred at around 11.30am in the reactor where the surfactants were being manufactured. The unit has a total man force of 250 workers and the management had sought permission from the Palghar Collector to allow 105 workers and staff to work during the lockdown.
At the time of the mishap, 67 workers were present in the unit, said Kasbe. Two fire tenders from the MIDC fire brigade arrived at the scene and controlled the resultant fire due to the blast.
The Collector had permitted manufacturers of medical products, masks, handwash, sanitisers, and other personal care and hygiene items essential for use during the Covid-19 outbreak, to function during the lockdown. Galaxy Surfactants was one such unit that had started operations on Monday.
“The sound of the blast could be heard 5km away from the unit in Nandgaon and Murbhe villages,” said Kasbe. “We have registered an accidental death report and the post mortem report is awaited. We will file a first information report (FIR) only after we receive a report from the Director of Industrial Safety and Health(DISH), Vasai.”
