03 July,2016 08:23 AM IST | | Asif Rizvi
Steam-generating machine exploded even as maintenance work was on; investigations are on, no other damage to plant
Three workers were killed and five others injured when a boiler at the Rashtriya Chemical and Fertilizers (RCF) plant exploded during repair work on Saturday evening. The incident happened around 5.55 pm at boiler number 2, the steam generating boiler on the RCF premises, where welding work was going on. The boiler was not in operation as maintenance work was underway.
Gate number 2 of the RCF plant where the boiler blast occurred. Pic/Sameer Markande
The RCF police who reached the spot following the incident said, "The incident happened when maintenance work was being conducted. There was an explosion and at least eight people were thought to be injured in the incident." Later, ACP Abdul Rauf Shaikh said three people were killed and five sustained burns in the incident. The boiler had been out of operation for the past 11 days and was being given final maintenance touches to restart operations.
A N Gandhe, GM (CC and CSR) at RCF, said, "Around 4.30 pm there was an explosion in boiler number 2 at RCF, Trombay, which had been shut down for inspection. As a result of the explosion there were three contract workers who died. Five people have been injured and are being treated at the hospital. Investigations are on to find out the cause of the explosion. The two adjacent boilers have not suffered any damage and all other plants at Trombay are safe and in operation." There are three such boilers at RCF. The contract was given to a private contractor to carry out maintenance work. Those killed are workers belonging to the contractor and two others who have sustained burns are employees of RCF.
Those killed in the incident were identified as Dilip Pawar, Govind Kumar and Mehmud Noor Mohammed. The injured, who are being treated at the RCF hospital, have been identified as Sayed Sadiq, Jayshankar Sharma, Rahul Shinde, Shashikant Dalvi and Ravindra Kamble.
