Nagpur: Panic gripped Kalmeshwar Tehsil in the early hours of Thursday after a powerful blast ripped through the Solar Explosives plant near Chandur village, close to Bajar in Bazargaon. The explosion occurred around 1:00 am on September 4, leaving one worker dead and several others injured, according to officials.
Initial reports suggest the incident took place in the plant’s RDX unit, where hundreds of labourers were on shift duty. Estimates vary, with between 900 and 6,000 workers said to have been present across different shifts. Authorities confirmed at least two workers are critically injured, while another eight to nine have sustained multiple wounds. Police have warned that the casualty count may rise as rescue operations continue.
An injured worker described the terrifying moments leading up to the blast: “When we saw smoke coming from the reactor, we all came out. After continuous smoke for around 20–25 minutes, there was a blast. Due to the blast, around 40–50 people got injured by stones.”
NCP (SP) leader and former state home minister Anil Deshmukh visited the injured in hospital and expressed concern over repeated incidents at the facility. He urged authorities to strictly enforce safety protocols at plants handling hazardous materials.
Local police and rescue teams rushed to the scene soon after the explosion. Nagpur Rural SP Harssh Poddar confirmed, “Information was received about an explosion in Solar Industries, Bazargaon. There are no casualties. Police and rescue teams reached the spot.” However, subsequent hospital records confirmed one fatality along with multiple injuries.
This is the second major explosion at the Bazargaon solar unit, raising serious questions about the company’s safety standards and industrial practices. Investigators are now working to establish whether the blast was caused by technical failure, human error, or negligence.
