Jalgaon Factory Blast: Case Registered Against Company Officials, Second Body Recovered after 9 Hours

Jalgaon: A case has been registered against the owner Arun Nimbalkar, manager and administrative officer at MIDC police station in connection with an explosion at a company called Morya Global Limited in The Industrial Estate area which killed two workers and injured 22 others. The explosion occurred in W Sector at 9:10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17. One of the victims was found around 2 pm while the search for the other was launched around 6 pm. It took nearly nine hours after the incident to find the second body due to the intensity of the explosion and the burning furnish oil fire.

Also Read | Blast in Jalgaon Chemical Factory: One Killed, Several Injured, in Cylinder Explosion

Fire tenders and ambulances were rushed to Morya Global Limited company in W Sector after receiving information about the fire. Initially, the injured were rushed to government medical college hospital and private hospitals. However, a search was on for two persons as they were known to be trapped in the factory. The body of one of the workers was found at 2 pm. However, another worker was not located. Finally, at 6 pm, the body of another worker was also found. The explosion caused damage to nearby R.G. Industries company. 

There were a total of 26 people in the company at the time of the explosion. Twenty-two of them were injured and two died. A woman, Anita Gaikwad, and Kapil Baviskar were not injured. District Superintendent of Police Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Nakhate, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sandeep Gavit, MIDC Police Station Police Inspector Baban Awhad, Pouni Dattatray Pote, Ravindra Girase, Assistant Faujdar Atul Vanjari, Pradeep Patil, Ramchandra Borse and other colleagues reached the spot. Rescue operations were immediately launched and the injured were shifted to a hospital.

Statements of the injured recorded
The MIDC police went to the hospital and recorded the statements of the injured, who were in a position to speak in connection with the incident. The whole process was going on till evening.

Case against the owner, manager, administration officer
A case under sections 225, 283, 285, 337, 338, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, has been registered against the company owner Arun Nimbalkar, manager Lomesh Suklal Rayagade, and administrative officer Anil Gulab Pawar at MIDC police station on the complaint of Kapil Rajendra Patil (24), a resident of Jalgaon district. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sandeep Gavit is investigating the case further.

Samples to be sent for DNA testing
Blood or hair samples of the deceased will be sent to Nashik for DNA testing. It may take four days for the report to come, said Dr. Vijay Gaikwad, medical superintendent of the Government Medical College and Hospital. An autopsy on both bodies is scheduled for Thursday, April 18.

Entrepreneurs come forward to help
As soon as the company was informed about the explosion and the fire, industrialists from the industrial estate area along with the entrepreneurs of the area rushed to help. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames. Apart from this, entrepreneurs Sameer Sane, Rajesh Agarwal, Sanjay Vyas, Jain Udyog Group, Supreme Industries, Benzo Chemical, and Balaji Mat provided a large amount of foam. Between 1,000 and 1,500 liters of foam was fired. It helped bring the fire under control. Sagar Chaudhary also provided pokland without any compensation as a wall would have to be demolished to douse the fire inside the company. Former corporator Ashutosh Patil and Municipal President Anil Admol of The Republican Athawale Group also carried out relief work.

Inspections were conducted every six months at industries and plants where inflammable and explosive materials were produced and manufactured. However, in the meantime, the government changed this and the investigation was discontinued. Prabhakar Banasure, former president of the All India Mazdoor Sangh, said the company was not serious about the maintenance and inspection of boilers, electrical equipment, tanks, and machinery by the management and thus a serious incident took place. He said such incidents can be avoided if the necessary aspects are checked from time to time in the companies. Banasure demanded a factory inspector, Deputy director-level inquiry into Wednesday's blast at the chemical company, and assistance to the families of the injured and deceased.

"The owner of the company has not yet arrived. Being managers, information is being sought from them. A case will be registered against those involved and appropriate action will be taken."
- Dr. Maheshwar Reddy, District Superintendent of Police