Alibaug firecracker blast toll rises to 7

The death toll in the Alibaug firecracker unit blast rose to seven on Friday with one Suresh Sonawane, 52, succumbing to injuries in Sion Hospital. Nineteen of those injured are being treated in hospitals across Alibaug, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. One is in a critical condition.

Sonawane, from Jalgaon, had been working here along with his family. "He had 60% burn injuries," said Dr Avinash Supe, the hospital dean.

His wife, Latabai, 48, is in the hospital with 27% injuries. Their daughter, Sangeeta, 19, hasn't been found yet.

"We came here a year ago. My father died and my sister is missing. My mother's condition is grave. My brother Vishnu, 32, survived. I escaped as I ran out," said Mahesh, 19, the deceased's son.

"One girl has been brought in with up to 95% burns," said Dr SM Keswani, director, National Burns Centre in Airoli, Navi Mumbai.

Close to 50 people work in the factory. A few had stepped out for lunch when the blast occurred. Kamlakar Patil, whose 40-year-old daughter-in-law, Prabhavati Patil, has been admitted with 40% burns, said that new machines acquired by owners Avinash Kamble and Rajashree Bobade had got hot quickly causing sparks to fly. Workers were filling explosive material in firecrackers. The spark ignited the material and exploded. Kamlakar complained that they were being paid just Rs 125 a day for close to 12 hours work.

Dead – 7
Injured – 19
Critical – 1