Massive fire at chemical plant in India’s Gujarat injures 16 workers

ALBAWABA- A massive fire broke out at a chemical facility in western India’s Gujarat state, leaving at least 16 workers injured and prompting a large-scale emergency response.

The blaze erupted around 1 p.m. at Metropolitan Eximchem Pvt Ltd in the Jhagadia GIDC Industrial Area in Bharuch district on Thursday. Thick smoke and flames quickly engulfed parts of the plant, with eyewitness visuals showing plumes rising high above the industrial zone and visible from a considerable distance.

Emergency services, including fire brigades, local police, and disaster response teams, were immediately deployed to the site. Additional fire tenders were dispatched from nearby Ankleshwar to reinforce containment efforts as crews worked for hours to bring the situation under control. Authorities confirmed that all 16 injured workers were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. No fatalities have been reported so far.

Officials have launched an inquiry into the cause of the fire, while safety inspections are expected to be carried out at the facility once conditions stabilize. The incident has renewed concerns over industrial safety standards in one of India’s major chemical production hubs.

The Gujarat fire comes just days after a separate major blaze at the Pachpadra refinery in Balotra district, western India, which disrupted preparations for a high-profile inauguration of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd. That fire erupted near the Crude Distillation Unit and forced authorities to postpone the launch of India’s first greenfield integrated refinery and petrochemical complex.