In a tragic explosion at the ordnance factory in Bhandara, Maharashtra, on Friday morning, at least one person was killed and several others injured. The blast, which occurred around 10:30 am, resulted in the collapse of the factory roof, trapping multiple workers. Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams working tirelessly to free the trapped individuals.
In a tragic explosion at the ordnance factory in Bhandara, Maharashtra, on Friday morning, at least one person was killed and several others injured.
The factory, located in the Jawahar Nagar locality on the Kolkata-Mumbai National Highway No. 6, is about 18 kilometres west of Bhandara township. A massive explosion took place around 10:30 am in the RK Branch section of the factory. It resulted in the collapse of the roof.
Confirming the incident, state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis posted on X, “There is news of an incident where 13-14 workers are trapped due to a roof collapse caused by an explosion at the ordnance factory in Bhandara. Five workers have been safely rescued. Bhandara Collector and SP are at the site and ensuring immediate rescue measures and all required support.”
Further, he stated, “SDRF and Nagpur Municipal Corporation teams are deployed for the rescue operation. The district administration is also coordinating with multiple teams. Medical assistance teams are ready too. As per the information received till now, one worker unfortunately lost his life. My condolences to his family. We stand with the family in this tough time. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
Preliminary reports suggest that the blast was caused by an explosion in raw materials used in the manufacture of RDX. The exact cause is still under investigation.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams working to free the trapped workers. The district administration, along with the defence forces, is coordinating the rescue efforts. The exact number of lives lost and those injured is yet to be known.
