Navsari: Three people were charred to death in an inferno at a transport warehouse near Devsar in Gandevi taluka of the district on Saturday morning. Two have reportedly been missing from the spot. A team of firefighters doused the fire that was supposed to have broken out from a blast in chemical barrels.
Seven workers of Jaipur Golden Transport were unloading the barrels containing thinners from a truck during which the explosion took place, leading to the conflagration. The fire quickly spread to the adjacent plastic warehouse and cabinet-making factory, engulfing eight people working inside.
Anup Kumar, the manager of the warehouse and Nilesh Rathod, a labourer, were charred to death while the identity of the other deceased is yet to be confirmed. Truck drivers Jitendra Singh and Hement Bejnagar suffered 30 per cent burn wounds and are undergoing treatment at the civil hospital in Valsad. Three other injured were taken to Mangosi Hospital in Belimora for treatment.
After receiving information about the incident, officials from the administration including Gandevi Mamlatdar and Chikhli Prant Adhikari reached the spot along with the local police including Chikhli DYSP and Navsari LCB. Police are investigating how the fire broke out.
Gandevi MLA Naresh Patel also reached the spot and instructed for immediate treatment of the injured. He also apprised the chief minister of the situation so that solatium could be arranged for the families of the victims and the injured.
