Kamala Mills, Kalachowki and now Palghar: A look back at recent fire tragedies in Maharashtra

Maharashtra: The explosion triggered fires in at least five factory units nearby. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

At least three persons were killed and several injured after a massive explosion in a chemical factory in Maharashtra’s Palghar district triggered fires in at least six factory units nearby. The first blast occurred in Novaphene Specialties Private Limited in E-107 unit of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation at around 11.10 pm on Thursday.

“The reverberations of the blast were strongly felt in 8-10 kilometre radius. Vibrations were felt till Palghar,” a Boisar police official said. The impact of the blast shattered window panes in buildings as far as three kilometers away, including Boisar police station. Initial reports suggest a boiler containing industrial solvent burst under high temperature and pressure.

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Here’s a list of recent fire accidents in Maharashtra:

March 6: A level 4 fire broke out in Kalachowki area of Mumbai on March 6. While no casualties were reported yet, fire officials had declared it a level 3 fire upon arrival. It was subsequently upgraded to Level 4.  As many as 16 fire tenders and 12 water tankers were deployed. Residents of Sita Sadan building and another highrise building near the spot which was evacuated claimed they had to wait for about 2-3 hours before the threat of fire ceased.

March 4: A major fire gutted a chemical godown in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area on March 4. The godown at Khairani Road in Ghatkopar’s Asalpha village was a level 3 fire. Eight fire engines and six jumbo tankers were rushed to the spot, along with an ambulance. The fire brigade managed to bring the blaze under control after nearly 12 hours. No casualty was reported.

February 8: A major fire broke out in a cloth mill at the Italian Industrial Estate near the Oberoi mall in Mumbai’s Goregaon East on February 8. While the level 3 fire was doused by the Mumbai fire Brigade, no casualties were reported. Eight fire engines, seven jets, one water tank, and three ambulances along with two assistant divisional officers, one divisional officer, and a deputy chief fire officer were rushed to the spot.

January 20: Fire broke out in a textile factory in Bhiwandi which was doused after an hour-long operation, ANI reported. According to officials, the fire broke out on the top floor of Savita Sizing factory in Babla Compound. Fire Brigade officers said five employees were sleeping on the second floor, but managed to escape as soon as the fire broke out.

December 29, 2017: The Kamala Mills fire was one of the most fatal fire accidents in Mumbai in recent times. 14 people, including 13 guests and one staffer had died in a fire at 1Above that allegedly began from an illegal hookah counter at adjacent Mojo’s Bistro. Read our coverage here.

Here’s a timeline of Mumbai’s major fire accidents in 2017

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