16 Workers Injured in Major Fire at Chemical Factory in Gujarat’s Bharuch

At least 16 workers were injured after a massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in Gujarat’s Bharuch district on Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The blaze erupted around 1 pm at Metropolitan Eximchem Pvt Ltd , located in the Jhagadia GIDC industrial estate , one of the key chemical manufacturing clusters in the region. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajay Meena , the fire spread rapidly inside the premises, triggering panic among workers and staff.

All the injured workers were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Officials confirmed that while several sustained injuries, no fatalities have been reported so far .

Following the alert, fire tenders, police teams, and emergency medical services rushed to the spot. Firefighting units from Jhagadia and Ankleshwar disaster response centres were deployed to contain the blaze. Efforts to bring the fire under control were still underway at the time of reporting.

Visuals from the site showed thick plumes of black smoke rising high into the sky , visible from a considerable distance, highlighting the intensity of the incident. Authorities also worked to ensure that the fire did not spread to nearby industrial units within the GIDC estate.

While the immediate cause of the fire remains unknown , officials said a detailed investigation will be conducted once the situation is fully stabilised. Possible technical or chemical triggers have not been ruled out at this stage.

The incident adds to growing concerns over industrial safety in Gujarat’s chemical belt , which includes Bharuch, Ankleshwar and Dahej regions known for dense clusters of chemical and manufacturing units where similar fire incidents have occurred in the past.

Authorities are expected to review safety protocols and compliance measures once rescue and cooling operations are completed. Further updates are awaited as firefighting operations continue.