4 killed, 50 injured in blast

Alibag (Raigad district), June 6 (UNI) Four people were killed and at least 50 injured in an explosion, triggered by a fire today at the Reliance Industries Limited-owned Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (IPCL) plant at Nagothane in Raigad district of Maharashtra.

The incident occurred at 1130 hours when a welding spark fell on ethylene material in the linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit of the plant, due to which disc of a reactor ruptured, leading to the blast, police said.

Company sources, however, put the death toll at three.

The plant, 40 kms from here, was shut down yesterday for routine maintenance, company sources said.

Most of the victims of the blast were contract labourers. Out of the injured, 23 were admitted to Bombay hospital, 21 to Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Khalapur, four in Bhatia hospital in Mumbai and two at Reliance hospital in Nagothane.

Eight of the injured are in a serious condition, police said.

District Superintendent of Police Raigad Pratap Dhighavkar rushed to the spot soon after the incident.

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