4 dead, 7 injured in pharma factory fire in Maharashtra’s Raigad, 7 missing

At least four people died and as many as seven are missing as a massive fire broke out at a pharmaceutical company in Maharashtra's Raigad district. Seven people have sustained injuries and a search operation has been initiated for the missing persons, an official said on Saturday. The blaze had reportedly erupted at 11 am on Friday.

The blaze erupted at Blue Jet Healthcare at the Mahad MIDC in neighbouring Raigad, the official of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said.

"Till 7 am today, the bodies of four persons have been recovered. These deceased were among the 11 persons who had gone missing after the fire at the factory. Our search operation is still underway to trace the seven persons who are missing," he said.

According to the initial investigation, the cause of the fire at the pharmaceutical was a short circuit.

Officials on Friday said that the blaze erupted following a blast at the factory. The fire then led the barrels containing chemicals to explode.