Nine dead, several injured in a blast at India explosives factory (updated)

Solar Industries India

17/12/2023 12:36

(Updates with comments from the company statement in final
paragraph)
    By Dhwani Pandya
       MUMBAI, Dec 17 (Reuters) - At least nine workers were
killed and several injured in a blast at an explosives factory
in Nagpur, a central district in Maharashtra state on Sunday
morning, a local police officer told Reuters over the phone. 
    The blast occurred early on Sunday morning at a factory run
by Solar Industries India  SLIN.NS , the police officer surnamed
Salve said. The factory manufactures industrial and military
explosives, as well as propellants and warheads for India's
defence sector, according to Solar Industries' website. 
    The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, Salve said,
adding that the number of casualties could increase. Salve was
part of the team that went to the site of the explosion on
Sunday morning. 
    Police were still investigating the cause of the blast,
which occurred in the factory's packing area.
    Solar Industries India confirmed in a statement to the stock
exchange that nine workers had been killed and said it was
investigating the causes of the accident and what corrective and
preventive actions needed to be implemented.

 (Reporting by Dhwani Pandya; Editing by Tom Hogue and Alex
Richardson)
 ((dhwani.p@thomsonreuters.com;))