MIDC fire brigade continued cooling operations in the six affected factories on Saturday. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

An investigation into the deadly explosion at a pharmaceuticals company in the Tarapur Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) complex in January has found that the firm’s chemical reactor was missing a cooling system — a vital component in ensuring safe reactions. The police is also likely to arrest the company’s owner after he was discharged from hospital this week.

The Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) recently submitted its final probe report into the blast at ANK Pharma on January 11 in which eight people lost their lives. The owner, Natwarlal Patel, is accused of carrying out a test reaction of chemicals for another firm he owns, without seeking permission from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), which is required to conduct these trials in a safe environment before authorising commercial testing.

The massive explosion had left Patel’s reactor in shreds. DISH, however, spoke to the firm that supplied Patel the machinery. “We found that Patel had not installed a cooling tower plant in the reactor. The plant is necessary is controlling high temperatures generated while conducting a chemical process,” said A D Khot, Joint Director, DISH. In the absence of the cooling plant, temperatures and pressure spiked uncontrollably. The explosion, which was heard and felt several kilometres away, nearly toppled the ground plus two storey structure and shattered windows of neighbouring factories.

The department recorded statements of vendors from whom Patel had purchased the chemicals, employees of ANK Pharma who had survived the blast and of police officials who are conducting the criminal investigation. DISH also found that Patel had installed reactors, thermopacks and centrifuges in a space meant for the company’s administrative office, without obtaining requisite permissions.

Pradeep Kasbe, senior inspector, Boisar police station, said that the police probe is also nearing an end. All that remains, he said, is to record Patel’s statement. Patel was admitted to Wockhardt Hospital in Mira Road after taking full impact of the bast and was operated on to remove metal shards which had pierced his stomach.

“Patel has recovered enough to be discharged from the hospital and returned home two-three days ago. We will record his statement soon and place him under arrest,” he added.

The police is likely to file charges in court against Patel for causing death due to negligence and handling explosive substances and machinery in a negligent manner likely to endanger human life.