Distress spread in and around the industrial belt of Ambernath after a huge fire spread out at a chemical production facility in the Anandnagar MIDC area on Monday, causing a series of loud explosions. As a safety measure, employees of eight adjoining corporations and citizens of a nearby village placed near the MIDC region were requested to move out of their homes because of the risk posed by the blaze and the explosions.
The fire broke out at Ganesh Chemical Company situated in Anandnagar MIDC. As per the officials, the blaze commenced instantly and within minutes broke out throughout the premises, spreading over the whole unit.
Authorities stated that the factory stored a huge amount of chemicals, which caused repeated explosions as chemical drums inside the unit caught fire. Eyewitnesses reported that thick black smoke billowed into the sky and may be seen from nearly 5-km away. The smoke plume persisted to increase for several hours as the fire blazed by the chemical unit.
Soon after the incident was reported, numerous fire engines from the Ambernath fire brigade, MIDC, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, and Navi Mumbai immediately went to the spot, and firefighters released an intense operation to bring the flames under control.
Bhagwat Sonawwne, chief fire officer of the Ambernath fire brigade, stated, “Officials stated the existence of chemicals made the firefighting operation more challenging. Because to safety concerns, authorities ordered to leave workers from neighbouring factories and asked citizens from a village located within about a 1 km radius of the MIDC location to move to safer places.”
Preliminary information shows that the whole chemical unit was destroyed in the blaze. Moreover, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
Officials stated the exact reason of the fire stays unknown and can be determined after a detailed investigation.
