4 killed, 9 injured in blast at chemical plant in Vadodara

At least four workers were killed and nine others injured today in a blast at a chemical plant on the city's outskirts, a senior official said.

The blast at a chemical plant of the GSP Crop Science Pvt Ltd led to a huge fire at its premises, a police official said.

The blast occurred around 5.30 am in the filter plant of the company, located in the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) area at Nandesari near here.

"Four of the firm's employees were killed in the incident," District Collector, Vadodara, P Bharthi said.

The injured were admitted to different hospitals, she said, adding that the condition of two of them was stated as serious.

"We have ordered an inquiry," she said.

Fire fighters took around two hours to douse the blaze, a police official said, adding that the cause of the blast is yet to be ascertained.

The machinery and equipment in the two plants were damaged in the blast. The firm's units located in the surrounding areas were asked to shut down, a fire brigade official said.

"The blast took place in the C2 unit of the company where about 13 employees were working in the night shift," said DCP, Vadodara, Gautam Parmar.

He said police have registered a case of accidental death.

"We will register an FIR only after obtaining an FSL report and other evidences," the officer said tonight.

The bodies of the four workers were shifted to the state-run SSG Hospital for post mortem.