Gujarat Chemical Factory Blast Kills 5, Injures 5 as Toxic Gas Leaks From Reactor

Five workers were killed and five others injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a chemical manufacturing unit in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, tearing apart a reactor tank and triggering a toxic gas leak. The district administration has ordered the factory to suspend operations as authorities investigate the cause of the accident.

The blast occurred around 10 pm on Friday at SynZeal Pharmachem, located in the Saykha Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) area of Vagra taluka. The explosion reportedly took place during a hydrogenation process, which involves the use of hydrogen gas in chemical manufacturing.

The force of the explosion was so intense that it ripped apart the reactor tank, scattering machinery parts across the factory premises. The incident also triggered a leak of methylene dichloride (MDC) gas, prompting officials from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, and the police to reach the site.

The deceased were identified as Jaydeep Maheshbhai Patel and Bhavik Dilipkumar Vasava, both from Amod in Gujarat; Vrund Talaviya, from Talala in Gir Somnath district; and Aniket Harilal Gautam and Arjunkumar Ramsingh Gautam, both from Uttar Pradesh.

The five injured workers - Pavankumar Ramsingh Gautam, Mausamkumar Ramsevak Yadav, Shivdayal Ramavatar Yadav, Pratik Pravin Prajapati and Priyanshu Bahadurlal, were taken for medical treatment. Reports indicated that some of the injured were in critical condition.

The factory, which was established in Saykha around a year ago, manufactures pharmaceutical intermediates. The district administration has ordered it to suspend operations pending further action.

The exact cause of the explosion remains unknown. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the hydrogenation process and the possible safety lapses that may have contributed to the accident.

The tragedy has also renewed concerns over industrial safety in Gujarat, following another fatal chemical factory explosion in the state earlier this week. The findings of the investigation are expected to determine the cause of the blast and whether safety regulations were followed.