Rescue ops called off: Toll 12, one yet to be identified

The Thane police have also roped in the service of a specialised government chemical analysis unit in Pune, in addition to that of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), to find out the cause behind the high intensity blast.

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Thane Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh said that while they had registered an FIR on charges of causing death due to negligence, they were yet to identify the reason behind the blast.

“It was a highly unusual blast that damaged things in a radius of nearly one kilometre. On priority, we need to find out what led to the blast and we are hoping that the reports of the NDRF, the FSL and a material testing facility at Pune will help us get clarity on it. Accordingly, we will name those, whose negligence was responsible for the blast,” Singh said.

The police will also be recording the statements of the workers at the chemical unit who sustained injuries in the blast.

Anupam Srivastava, commandant, 5th battalion, NDRF, said that they called off the rescue operations around 4:30 pm after the debris was cleared and there were no more bodies to be found.

“Several cylinders with contents that could be inflammatory were moved out,” he said.

He added that while there was no risk at the site now, the shock of the blast meant that people in the vicinity would take a while to return to their houses.

He added that at one point, there were 45 NDRF members working round the clock to ensure that the debris was cleared by late Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, among the few people who managed to save themselves, despite being at the factory when the blast took place, one Mahesh Mankar, a senior employee at the unit, is currently recuperating at the hospital.

He said, “Around 10.30 am, after having breakfast, I was discussing about a new batch that we were to receive at the unit, along with my superior. Suddently, we heard a huge blast. I rushed outside, climbed on the drum that was kept adjacent to the wall and jumped to the other side and managed to save myself.”

Dr Vishwas Waqatkar, the owner of the chemical unit, who lost his two sons and a daughter-in-law in the blast, is also recuperating at the hospital. He fell ill after listening to reports on his family members.