India: 12 dead, 20 injured after chemical factory blast near capital New Delhi

A major blast at a chemical factory in northern Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur claimed 12 lives and injured 20 after a boiler exploded. The officials have found traces of gunpowder and suspect that it may have caused the explosion.

The incident took place at an industrial facility in Dhaulana, around 60 kilometres from the capital New Delhi, on Saturday around 3 pm. There were around 30 people in the affected area.

Residents of Dhaulana said that the blast was so intense that they felt “earthquake-like tremors”. Some of the factories located in the vicinity were damaged. It took three hours for fire tenders to douse the blaze.

Superintendent of Police of Hapur Deepak Bhuker said a probe has been launched to determine the cause of the incident.

"The factory was given the licence to manufacture electronic items. And now, it is a matter of probe what exactly was going on here. This is a sad incident. Forensic teams have reached here and are collecting samples," District Magistrate of Hapur Medha Roopam was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.

"Our efforts are to ensure that the injured persons get the best medical treatment. Some of them have been referred to Safdarjung Hospital," she added.

Other factories in the area will be inspected, the district magistrate said, adding that action would also be taken against officials concerned if it was found in the probe that the incident took place due to their laxity.

The factory is located adjacent to a CNG pump. Rescue and relief measures were taken up at the site, according to officials.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives.

"The accident in the chemical factory of Hapur, Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. I express my condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this. The state government is actively involved in providing treatment to the injured and all possible help," Modi tweeted.

(With inputs from agencies)

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