INDIA – Fire at Navi Mumbai chemical plant engulfs four units; no casualties reported
A major fire at a chemical manufacturing unit in Navi Mumbai’s Pawane MIDC on Saturday spread to four industrial facilities, prompting a large-scale emergency response. Officials confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were reported, and all workers were safely evacuated.
The fire broke out at around 11:45 am at BetaChem Chemicals, located at Plot W-177 in the Pawane–Mahape MIDC area. Fueled by highly inflammable chemicals, the blaze intensified rapidly and spread to nearby units, including Raigad Chemicals and two facilities operated by National Rubber. Several loud explosions were heard in the initial phase, believed to have been caused by chemical drums bursting due to extreme heat.
Given the scale of the incident and the hazardous materials involved, authorities classified the fire as a Level III (major) emergency. More than 10 fire engines and water tankers from the Navi Mumbai Fire Brigade and MIDC fire stations—Pawane, Mahape, Koparkhairane, Shiravane, CIDCO and Vashi—were deployed to control the situation.
Firefighters used specialised chemical foam and continuous water jets to douse the flames, while simultaneous cooling operations were carried out on surrounding structures to prevent further spread. Police evacuated workers from nearby industrial plots as a precaution and cordoned off internal MIDC roads and stretches near the Mahape flyover to allow unobstructed movement of emergency vehicles. The blaze was brought under control after more than three hours with the deployment of multiple fire engines.
Thick black smoke from the fire enveloped the Trans-Thane Creek industrial belt and was visible from several kilometres away, including the Sion–Panvel Highway and Palm Beach Road. The smoke later drifted towards residential areas such as Koparkhairane and Ghansoli. By late afternoon, fire officials said the blaze had been contained to the four affected units, though it had not been fully extinguished. Cooling operations continued for several hours to prevent reignition.
Officials confirmed that all workers present at the affected factories were accounted for and that no damage occurred beyond the four impacted units.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Preliminary suspicion points to a short circuit or a chemical reaction during processing or transfer operations.
A detailed investigation will be conducted by the fire department in coordination with MIDC authorities and the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health once the site is declared safe and cooling operations are completed.
Photo credit: KK Choudhary. All rights reserved.