A major explosion took place at MMP Aluminum Industry, located in Umred MIDC area of Nagpur district, on Friday evening. The explosion caused a big fire that was controlled after a firefighting operation of four hours. According to police, 7 to 8 workers were seriously injured in the blast. Out of them, six have been confirmed injured, and 2 are in critical condition. All injured people have been taken to the Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment. The company manufactures aluminum foil and aluminum powder. After the blast, thick smoke was seen coming out of the factory from nearly one kilometer away.

 

Fire tenders from Umred Municipal Council and MIDC reached the spot and started efforts to control the fire. However, officials say it is very difficult to put out the fire because aluminum powder is involved. Aluminum powder is highly flammable and as long as it keeps burning, the fire cannot be fully controlled. Police Inspector Dhanaji Zalak from Umred Police Station said that the fire will only stop once all the powder is burned to ashes. Several workers’ clothes caught fire during the blast which caused more injuries. Emergency teams are working at the site and the police are keeping a close watch on the situation. The exact cause of the explosion is still unknown, and further investigation is ongoing, said a police official. The area has been sealed off for safety reasons, he added.