M'shtra: 2 died, 18 missing in chemical factory blast

Nashik, May 6: Two people were killed while 18 others are missing in a blast that occurred in a chemical factory at Sinnar, about 30 km rom here.

The blast occurred in the Premier X-10 chemical factory that manufactures gelatine sticks early thismorning.

Eleven others were injured in the explosion and admitted to various hospitals here.

Nashik district guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal visited the Suyush Hospital here, one of the hospitals where the injured have been admitted. He announced Rs one lakh to the kin of the dead and Rs 15,000 to each of the injured.

Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil also visited the site of the explosion today to take stock of the situation.

While two bodies have been recovered from the rubble, 18 others are still missing, police said.

The accident had occurred around 0130 hours this morning. The explosion was so massive that the three-storied factory building crumbled under its impact.

Nashik District Collector S Chokkalingam had earlier, while confirming that two bodies had been been recovered, said around 16 more persons could be buried under the rubble.

Nashik Police Superintendent (Rural) Nikhil Gupta too had said that the number of casualties could be much higher.

UNI