At least five workers were killed and six injured after a 15-kilolitre reactor exploded during a hydrogenation process at a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Gujarat’s Bharuch district late on Friday night, with a reported methylene dichloride (MDC) gas leak adding to the impact of the incident, according to reports on Saturday.
The incident triggered panic across the industrial estate, prompting police and district authorities to reach the site and initiate rescue operations.
Authorities were still verifying the identity of the fifth victim. The company had reportedly begun operations with 53 employees and had not completed a year at the Saykha GIDC estate.
Teams from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and the Industrial Safety and Health Department also began an investigation into the explosion and the circumstances surrounding the reported chemical leak. The investigation is expected to establish what caused the reactor to explode, the extent of the chemical release and whether any safety lapses contributed to the deaths and injuries.
