Raigad Blast: Death Toll Up To 11 As NDRF Recovers All Bodies From Explosion Site In Mahad MIDC, Operation Concludes

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has recovered 11 bodies from the site of the explosion that occurred on Friday morning at the Blue Jet Healthcare Ltd factory in the MIDC complex at Mahad, Raigad district, approximately 170 kilometers from here.

Ravi Prakash, the second-in-command of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Pune unit, confirmed the recovery of 11 bodies by Monday evening. These individuals had been reported missing following the factory blast. The state government had already initiated an inquiry into the incident last week.

Rescue operation concluded on Monday

"The search operation was officially concluded on Monday evening, with a total of 11 bodies recovered from the site, individuals who had gone missing after the incident," stated Prakash.

All the recovered bodies were transferred to the Panvel rural hospital for post-mortem examinations, after which they were sent to the Kalina forensic lab for DNA tests to confirm their identities.

Another NDRF official announced that all the missing individuals had been located, marking the conclusion of the operation.

Short circuit likely cause for the blast

According to the initial investigation, the fire likely originated from a short circuit, leading to the explosion of chemical-filled barrels on the site, intensifying the blaze. Blue Jet Healthcare Ltd, headquartered in Sanpada, Navi Mumbai, specializes in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical intermediaries.

While the company claims to be a "global, science-led pharma company" with 50 years of experience and operates four plants, no official statement has been issued regarding the tragic events that unfolded last Friday.