Palghar: One Dead, Four Injured in Chemical Factory Blast; Train Engine Catches Fire a Day Earlier

A tragic explosion at a chemical factory in Palghar district claimed one life and left four others injured on Thursday evening. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm at Limbani Salt Industries, officials confirmed.

According to Vivekanand Kadam, chief of the Palghar District Disaster Management Cell, five workers were inside the unit when the accident happened. "The mixing of metal and acid, a highly reactive process, triggered the explosion," Kadam said.

One worker died on the spot, while two others sustained severe burns and were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Two more workers, who were positioned farther away, suffered minor injuries and are reported stable.

Fire brigade units and disaster management teams quickly reached the factory and brought the situation under control. Local police have launched an inquiry, and an offence may be registered once the detailed report is filed.

Train Engine Catches Fire in Palghar

Just a day earlier, Palghar had witnessed another incident when the engine of the Mumbai Central-Valsad passenger train caught fire at Kelve Road station around 7:56 pm on Wednesday.

According to Western Railway officials, flashes and flames were noticed in the electric locomotive of train no. 59023. Fortunately, no passengers were injured. Railway technical staff and senior officials rushed to the site for checks.

The train, which departed from Mumbai Central at 6:10 pm, was delayed by 17 minutes before the incident. It had just started pulling out of the Kelve Road platform when the crew detected the sparks and halted the train.