The plant had been running for only a few months. On Friday, a reactor exploded there and killed five workers. Vrund Talaviya, an officer in the production department, was one of them.
It happened at the SynZeal Pharmachem plant in the Saykha industrial area of Bharuch district, Gujarat, in the Vagra sub-district. A reactor that holds 5,000 liters, about 1,300 gallons, reportedly blew up during hydrogenation. Machinery parts and debris were scattered across the factory grounds and beyond.
A safety official said early findings show the plant began operating in June. About 20 people were inside when the blast went off. Another plant and more buildings are still being built at the site.
Besides Talaviya, who was from Talala in Gir-Somnath district, the dead include Jaydeep Patel and Bhavik Vasava, both from Amod. Aniket Gautam and Arjunkumar Gautam, from Uttar Pradesh, also died. Patel had a postgraduate degree in chemistry and was a senior officer. The rest were helpers.
Five more people were hurt. Priyanshu Bahadurlal and Pratik Prajapati were moved to Vadodara for advanced treatment. Pavan Gautam, Mausam Yadav and Shivdayal Yadav were treated and discharged.
After the blast, a suspected gas leak spread panic through the nearby area. Several people said their eyes were irritated.
Police have registered a case of accidental death and started investigating. The Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board are running their own inquiries. A police officer said police will take further steps based on the findings of the different departments.
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