There was a huge fire on Saturday at Sanghvi Organics Pvt Ltd in GIDC Panoli, Bharuch district, with thick smoke and flames shooting high into the air and causing panic in the industrial estate. Fire authorities reported that several tenders were rushed to the site, and firefighting operations are currently in progress. The reason for the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be ascertained.
The accident comes in the wake of another fatal fire in Gujarat this year. On April 2, a huge explosion tore through an unlicensed firecracker unit set up in a warehouse in Deesa, Banaskantha district, and killed at least 21. Most of the dead were migrant labourers from Madhya Pradesh.
Witnesses of the Deesa tragedy have remembered a “deafening explosion that rattled houses in the surrounding area and sent dust and smoke spewing into the air.” Certain sections of the warehouse collapsed, trapping the workers under the debris. Later on, the police had ascertained that the unit didn’t possess any valid license and was breaching safety norms.
Following the April tragedy, the owner of the factory, Khubchand Thakkar, and his son were nabbed. The most recent fire in Bharuch has again raised questions regarding industrial safety regulations and their enforcement in the state. The authorities still keep a close eye on the situation at Sanghvi Organics as workers battle to control the blaze and avoid further destruction.
