Nashik: Two killed, 17 injured after blast in Jindal Poly Films factory; firm says production 'disturbed temporarily'

Jindal Poly Films on January 2 said a fire accident that occurred at its Igatpuri plant yesterday has temporarily disturbed the production at the plant. It also added that it is in the process of ascertaining actual loss caused by the accident.

Two people were killed, and 17 others injured, four of them critically on Sunday, in a massive fire triggered by a blast in a boiler of Nashik's Jindal Poly Films factory, located in Mundhegaon.

Commenting on the mishap, Jindal Poly Films said in a regulatory filing, "It is hereby informed that a fire accident took place at plant situated at 28th Km Stone, Nashik lgatpuri Road NH-3, Village Mundhegaon, Taluka Igatpuri, Distt. Nashik, Maharashtra, India, on 01st January 2023 at around 11.30 a.m. IST. Fire was controlled, but, production operation at part of the said plant is disturbed temporarily. The cause of fire will be assessed in due course and the company is also in the process of ascertaining the actual loss caused by said accident."

Adequate insurance coverage for the said plant and intimation to insurance company has already been made, it added.

Shares of the company on January 2 were trading over 4 percent lower after the incident. At 1400 hours today, the company's stock on BSE was trading 4.2 percent lower at Rs 763. The scrip however recovered to close 0.75 percent lower at Rs 790.20 apiece  on BSE.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had yesterday visited the accident site and later also met the injured persons admitted to a hospital.

''The fire in Jindal company was huge. The reason behind it is not known yet. A high-level inquiry of the incident will be conducted. As many as 19 employees were injured in the incident and two of them lost their lives. The next of kin of each deceased will get Rs 5 lakh aid from the state government and the injured will get free medical treatment,'' Shinde said.

Mundhegaon is located about 30 km from Nashik and 130 km from Mumbai.

Fire brigade, police, and disaster response force teams rushed to the spot.

"I pray for the early recovery of the injured persons," CM tweeted later.

(With PTI inputs)