Major fire breaks out at chemical factory in Pawane MIDC, 4 adjacent units gutted; no casualty

Navi Mumbai: A major fire broke out at Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd company located in Pawane MIDC area around 11.40 am on Saturday. The fire also spread to the adjacent four industrial units which were also completely gutted causing huge property loss. Fortunately, there was no casualty as the factory workers of all five units had immediately evacuated, reports George Mendonca. This is the second fire breakout incident at Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd after nine years. The previous fire breakout was on Nov 25, 2016, when the fire breakout had also gutted four adjacent factories.
Fire officer Manish Sawant at Pawane MIDC Emergency Response Station (ERS) said, "The emergency call of fire breakout at Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd in Pawane MIDC area was received around 12 noon. Our fire fighting team from ERS reached the spot within 10 minutes. The fire was raging and there were several blasts due to the stocked chemicals at Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd and the fire had spread to the four adjacent factories."Chief fire officer Surendra Chaudhary at ERS said, "I was on leave and travelling to native place, when I received information about the fire breakout. Hence, I communicated with the concerned incharge fire officer and ensured that proper fire fighting arrangements are made. As the fire was spreading to neighbouring factories, 10 more fire engines were pressed into service from fire stations of Khairane MIDC, Rabale MIDC, Nerul MIDC (D block) and NMMC's Vashi, Koparkhairane, Nerul, CBD along with Cidco and from companies like HPCL, Lubrizol in Turbhe. While, Herdilia Company's fire engine was kept on standby."Chaudhary said, "As Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd factory had a huge stock of flammable chemicals being used for manufacturing process, after the blasts during fire breakout, the fire spread on the road and gutted four adjacent companies. However, the fire fighters prevented the fire from spreading to other companies located behind and opposite the road. As the factory structure had collapsed in the fire breakout, the fire fighters had a herculean task in the fire fighting operation. The fire was doused around 6 pm, but the cooling operation will continue for several hours."
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