Blast at RCF in Chembur kills 3, injures 5
Image: Free Press Journal
In a tragic incident, three people lost their lives and five others were injured in a boiler explosion at the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF), Chembur on Saturday evening.
The incident occurred around 5:30 pm while the boilers were undergoing maintenance. Those present at the site reported hearing a loud noise before releasing a boiler had exploded.
The three individuals who lost their lives have been identified as Dilip Pawar, Govind Kumar and Mehmood Noor Mohammad. Those who were injured are Ravindra Kamble, Sayyad Sadiq, Jayshankar Sharma, Rahul Shinde and Shashikant Dalvi. All 5 were rushed to the RCF’s in-house hospital.
Ashok Dudhe, deputy commissioner and Mumbai police spokesperson confirmed that according the information available with the local police station, the maintenance work was underway when the explosion occurred.
According to initial reports, the explosion took place in boiler number 2. The boiler was shut over the last 3 weeks due to a suspected problem with its functionality. Each boiler at the facility would undergo maintenance every year.
After the blast, the premises was engulfed in flames and fire officials were called to the scene. While fire officials managed to curb the fire over the next 2 hours, the extent of damage is not clear.
The police have registered a case of accidental death and probing the exact cause of the explosion. The statements of those who were injured will also be taken after their condition improves.
Last month, a similar blast in a chemical factory at Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in Dombivali had led to the death of 12 and left over 150 injured.
