Dombivli factory blast death toll touches 12; owners charged

Dombivli (Maharashtra), May 28: The death toll in the explosion in the chemical factory explosion in Dombivli in Thane district of Maharashtra went up to 12, said an official in the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

While 11 were dead till Friday, the rescue team found the body of a civilian on the site on Saturday morning. While six bodies were recovered on Thursday, four were found on Friday while another person died in the hospital, the NDRF said, according to PTI.

The NDRF also assured after investigation that the toxic gases spreading from the factory in the area did not pose any risk.

The factory contained containers of propargyl alcohol, a liquid chemical which is toxic if ingested or inhaled and causes corrosion if it touches the human skin, the NDRF said.

Meanwhile, the owners of the factory were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The police have approached the factory inspector and other departmental officials to ascertain the exact reason of the blast and fire in the plant on May 26.

The blast which was followed by a huge fire damaged more than 600 establishments within two-kilometre radius of the site.

The Maharashtra government has ordered a probe into the incident.

Oneindia News

[with PTI inputs]