Monday, 02 March 2026
Monday, 02 March 2026
At least 18 workers were killed and 24 others injured in a powerful explosion at an explosives manufacturing factory in Maharashtra’s Nagpur district on Sunday morning. Most of the injured are in critical condition, police said.
The blast took place between 7 am and 7.15 am at the detonator packing unit of SBL Energy Limited at Raulgaon village in Katol tehsil. One of the injured workers died during treatment later in the day, taking the death toll to 18.
Police said several bodies were charred beyond recognition. DNA samples of family members are being collected to establish the identities of the deceased.
Family members of the workers rushed to the factory premises, around 50 km from the Nagpur district headquarters, seeking information about their relatives. Many waited for hours as officials tried to confirm the list of dead and injured.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a probe into the cause of the explosion.
Rescue operations were carried out by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and Defence Information System for Security (DISS), he said.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the loss of lives in the explosion at a factory in Nagpur, Maharashtra. I express my profound condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” Murmu said in a post on X in Hindi.
Prime Minister Modi announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
“The explosion at a factory in Nagpur, Maharashtra, is deeply distressing. My condolences to the families of the deceased. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The local administration is assisting those affected,” he said in a post on X.
An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each will be given to the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 to the injured. Fadnavis said the Maharashtra government would provide Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.
He added that the company concerned would also provide financial help to the affected families. SBL Energy Limited said the explosion occurred in the detonator packing unit.
“The incident occurred in the packing area of the facility, where no active manufacturing operations were underway at the time. The exact cause remains under investigation, and we are cooperating fully with the concerned authorities,” the company said in a statement.
The company said an internal review had been initiated and corrective steps would be taken after the investigation.
“The company stated that ensuring all necessary assistance to the affected employees and their families is their immediate priority. In coordination with local authorities, the company is extending immediate financial assistance and bearing the full cost of medical treatment for the injured,” it said.
Emergency response measures were put in place immediately and the situation was brought under control, the statement added.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident at our facility in Katol, Nagpur district, and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives,” the company said. “We remain committed to the highest standards of safety and transparency. Further updates will be shared as verified information becomes available.”
Hospitals treating the injured said their condition remains serious. A medical report from one hospital said all 18 patients admitted there were in the ICU.
“They required urgent operative interventions with intensive care and management,” the hospital said. Doctors reported that most patients suffered severe thermal burns ranging from 30 per cent to 80 per cent, along with splinter injuries from the blast.
“Some of the patients suffered hearing loss / deafness, and others have various mechanical surface wounds and long bone fractures,” said Orange City Hospital and Research Institute Nagpur (OCHRI).
The hospital said its trauma team was activated immediately to handle the emergency. Doctors said treatment is focused on stabilising patients and preventing further complications.
Meanwhile, former Maharashtra home minister and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh alleged that lapses in safety audits of explosives units have led to repeated accidents in the district.
Deshmukh, a former MLA from Katol, said he had written to Chief Minister Fadnavis, Union ministers, PESO and other departments six months ago seeking safety audits of such factories in Nagpur.
He said the letters were sent after earlier explosions at units in Bazargaon, but no action was taken.
