Maharashtra chemical factory blast kills 3, injures 15; rescue ops underway

Local eyewitnesses said the explosion, "sounding like a huge bomb" took place when many people were preparing to retire for the night

A powerful blast followed by a massive fire ripped through a private chemical manufacturing company Ramedeo chemicals in the Tarapur MIDC area of Maharashtra's Palghaer late on Thursday night, police said. According to reports, at least 3 people were killed and 15 injured in the incident that occured around 11.15 pm . Three of them are said to be in a critical condition.

"The blast, the cause of which is not yet clear, was so deafening that it was heard in a distance of 10 km, and houses and buildings were shaken," Palghar Control police official Pramod Pawar told IANS.