Pune factory fire claims atleast 17 lives, including 15 women; PM Modi condoles loss of lives, announces ex-gratia

Devendra Potphode, Chief Fire Officer, PMRDA, said, "The company deals with water purifying chemical, Chlorine dioxide, which is not fire-prone. It is packed in plastic, and while the packing work was in process, the heat-up sparked. The plastic then immediately caught fire".

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: A spark in the heat-up is learned to have caused a fire in plastic packing material at Pune`s SVS Aqua Technologies factory, which claimed the lives of at least 17 people, including 15 women on Monday. According to reports, the fire broke out at SVS Aqua Technologies, which manufactures chlorine dioxide and is located in the Pirangut MIDC area of Mulshi tehsil on the outskirts of Pune city.

Devendra Potphode, Chief Fire Officer, Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) told ANI, "The company deals with water purifying chemical, Chlorine dioxide, which is not fire-prone. It is packed in plastic, and while the packing work was in process, the heat-up sparked. The plastic then immediately caught fire".

Potphode informed that women who were packing could not understand which way to run as the fumes from both plastic and chlorine were too strong, adding that a total of 17 bodies, out of which 15 were women, have been recovered from the site.

Notably, Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound that has a variety of antimicrobial uses, including the disinfection of drinking water. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the loss of lives in the fire incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs each from the PMNRF for the deceased`s kin. He also announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 for the injured.

In a tweet, Prime Minister said, "Pained by the loss of lives due to a fire at a factory in Pune, Maharashtra. Condolences to the bereaved families."

"The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to a fire at an industrial unit in Pune, Maharashtra. Rs. 50,000 would be provided to those injured", tweeted the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO).

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also condoled the loss of lives in the fire incident. "Pained to hear the news of the loss of lives in a fire accident in a factory in Pune," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu.

"My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed condolences to the family members of those who lost their lives in the fire incident at a chemical factory in Pune.

"I am deeply saddened by the heart-wrenching news of the fire at a chemical factory in Pune. I express my condolences to those who lost their loved ones in this accident and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," Shah tweeted in Hindi. 

(With Agency Inputs)