Boisar factory blast Owner in hospital; officials say only he can shed light on chemicals, reactor

Eight people were killed and seven others injured in the blast on Saturday evening.

Patel (56) underwent surgery at Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road, on Sunday. Pieces of glass had pierced his stomach during the powerful explosion, which shattered the building and was heard several kilometres away.

Efforts to contact Patel’s son were also unsuccessful, said Khot. “We have an idea of what the constituents of the acid were but need to speak to Patel to corroborate our information,” he added.

Inspector Kishor Jagtap of Boisar police said Patel was out of danger after the surgery. A preliminary investigation by DISH has found that there were no safety features present in the steel reactor that Patel was using.

As the explosion had completely ripped apart the reactor and left no residue of the constituent chemicals behind, Khot said it was unlikely that the wreckage of the machinery would reveal any useful evidence. “At present, it appears the reactor was not in proper and safe condition. Only once we speak to Patel can we understand where he got the reactor from and how it was functioning,” said Khot.

Police are also awaiting documents and inquiry reports from DISH, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to understand what product Patel was manufacturing, how two families had been staying there illegally and what other violations he had committed. Inspector Jagtap said an FIR would be registered after police received preliminary inquiry reports from these departments.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday held a meeting to discuss issues pertaining to industrial safety in light of the blast at the Tarapur MIDC. At the meeting, also attended by state Industries Minister Subhash Desai and Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta, it was decided that an inquiry into the incident will be conducted by the principal secretary of labour department. It was also decided that inspection of all such hazardous industries will be taken up on a priority basis and a safety audit of these industries will be conducted.