Major Industrial Fire in Navi Mumbai's Pawane MIDC Area
A significant fire incident occurred at Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd in the Pawane MIDC area of Navi Mumbai on Saturday morning, causing extensive damage to multiple industrial units. The blaze, which started around 11:40 am, quickly escalated, resulting in substantial property loss across five factories.
Fire Spreads to Adjacent Units, No Casualties Reported
The fire rapidly spread from Raigad Chemicals to four neighboring industrial units, all of which were completely gutted in the incident. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported as factory workers from all five affected units managed to evacuate immediately when the fire broke out. This prompt evacuation prevented what could have been a tragic loss of life.
Second Major Fire Incident at Raigad Chemicals in Nine Years
This marks the second major fire breakout at Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd within a span of nine years. The previous incident occurred on November 25, 2016, when a similar fire had also gutted four adjacent factories. The recurrence of such a serious incident raises questions about fire safety protocols at the chemical manufacturing facility.
Emergency Response and Firefighting Efforts
Fire officer Manish Sawant from the Pawane MIDC Emergency Response Station (ERS) reported that the emergency call was received around 12 noon. The firefighting team from ERS reached the spot within 10 minutes of receiving the alert. Upon arrival, they found the fire raging with several blasts occurring due to the stocked chemicals at Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd.
Chief fire officer Surendra Chaudhary, who was on leave and traveling to his native place when informed about the fire, coordinated the response remotely. He communicated with the in-charge fire officer to ensure proper firefighting arrangements were made. Given the severity of the situation and the fire spreading to neighboring factories, 10 additional fire engines were deployed from various locations including:
- Khairane MIDC fire station
- Rabale MIDC fire station
- Nerul MIDC (D block) fire station
- NMMC's Vashi, Koparkhairane, Nerul, and CBD fire stations
- Cidco fire services
- Company fire engines from HPCL and Lubrizol in Turbhe
Additionally, Herdilia Company's fire engine was kept on standby as a precautionary measure.
Challenges Faced During Firefighting Operations
Chief fire officer Chaudhary explained that Raigad Chemicals Pvt Ltd had a huge stock of flammable chemicals used in their manufacturing process. After the initial blasts during the fire breakout, the fire spread onto the road and completely gutted the four adjacent companies. Firefighters faced significant challenges as the factory structure had collapsed during the fire, making their task particularly difficult.
Despite these obstacles, the firefighting teams successfully prevented the fire from spreading to other companies located behind and opposite the road. The main fire was doused around 6 pm, though cooling operations continued for several hours afterward to prevent any re-ignition.
Property Damage and Ongoing Assessment
The fire resulted in substantial property damage across all five affected industrial units. While the exact financial loss is yet to be quantified, initial assessments indicate significant destruction of infrastructure, machinery, and inventory. The incident has disrupted industrial operations in the affected area and will likely have economic implications for the businesses involved.
Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess whether proper fire safety measures were in place at the affected facilities. The recurrence of such incidents at the same location raises concerns about industrial safety standards in the region.
