Gujarat Pharma Unit Reactor Blast Kills 5, Injures 6 in Bharuch

At least five workers were killed and six others injured after a 15-kilolitre reactor exploded during the hydrogenation process at a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Gujarat's Bharuch district late Friday night. Reports that emerged on Saturday also indicated a leak of methylene dichloride (MDC) gas, worsening the situation.

The explosion occurred at SynZeal Pharmachem, located in the Saykha Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estate in Vagra taluka.

According to reports, the blast was so powerful that pieces of the reactor debris landed outside the company's premises, while machinery parts and metal sheets were scattered across the plant.

Following the explosion, the gas leak caused dust and haze to spread across the area. Workers and other people present at the site complained of severe irritation in their eyes.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Bharuch and Vadodara for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were sent to Bharuch Civil Hospital.

The incident triggered panic across the industrial area. Police and district administration officials reached the site after receiving information about the explosion and began rescue operations.

Teams Begin Investigation into Blast and Chemical Leak

Teams from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and the Department of Industrial Safety and Health have also started investigating the causes of the explosion and the chemical leak.

Bharuch Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Manisha Manani said the explosion occurred during the hydrogenation process. Officials are now trying to determine why the reactor exploded and whether the company had complied with industrial safety regulations.

The exact cause of the incident has not yet been established.

Four Victims Identified

Four of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Patel, 27, a resident of Vagra who worked as a shift in-charge; Aniketkumar Harikishor, 24; Arjun Ramsingh Gautam, 20; and Vrund Talavia.

The identity of the fifth victim is still being confirmed.

According to the available information, the company began operations with 53 employees and had been operating at the Saykha GIDC estate for less than a year.

The investigation is expected to establish why the reactor exploded, the quantity of chemicals released and whether any shortcomings in safety arrangements contributed to the deaths and injuries.