Mon - Sat 9:00 - 17:30
Today, Gujarat witnessed two major industrial fire accidents—one in Mehsana and another in Panoli (Bharuch district, GIDC Panoli estate, Sanghvi Organics Pvt Ltd).
In Mehsana, a devastating fire broke out at a fertiliser plant near Sametra village around 3 a.m. while six workers were on night shift. The fire claimed the lives of two workers (Manish from Bihar and Fulchand from Maharashtra) and left two others injured, who were rushed to hospital. The local fire brigade mobilised quickly and managed to control the blaze in about an hour.
In Panoli, flames erupted in a chemical manufacturing unit of Sanghvi Organics Pvt Ltd. The fire spread rapidly due to stored solvents and intermediates. Thankfully, no casualties have been reported, but the property damage is expected to be significant. To contain the blaze, over 15 fire tenders from Bharuch and nearby industrial fire stations were mobilised.
These back-to-back incidents highlight once again the fire and process safety risks in Gujarat’s industrial clusters.
The twin accidents today are part of a larger recurring trend. Over the last two years, Gujarat—especially Bharuch district—has faced several catastrophic incidents:
Dahej (2024): A massive blast and fire at a chemical plant led to multiple fatalities and evacuation of nearby villages.
Ankleshwar (2024): A dye manufacturing unit fire caused major losses and exposed lapses in hazardous chemical storage practices.
Jhagadia (2025): Reactor explosion triggered a fire that injured several workers and disrupted production.
Panoli (2024 & 2025): Repeated incidents in chemical units highlight systemic failures in risk management and preparedness.
Bharuch has emerged as India’s chemical and petrochemical hub, housing clusters at Dahej, Panoli, Ankleshwar, and Jhagadia. These industries handle highly flammable, explosive, and toxic substances such as solvents, resins, dyes, and intermediates. While they have fueled economic development, the frequency of accidents reveals structural gaps in safety culture, compliance, and monitoring.
The effectiveness of emergency response often determines whether an incident becomes a minor fire or a major disaster. Yet many facilities continue to show:
Inadequate fire protection systems, poorly maintained or not tested.
Irregular evacuation drills, leaving workers unsure of how to react.
Limited firefighting training for shop-floor workers.
Delayed coordination with local fire services, losing precious minutes.
Robust preparedness requires:
Regular mock drills simulating chemical fires, reactor blasts, and toxic releases.
Hands-on training for all employees in using extinguishers, hydrants, and alarms.
Establishing dedicated in-house emergency response teams trained to act before external help arrives.
Linking fire detection and monitoring systems with local fire brigades for quicker mobilisation.
Beyond firefighting and emergency response, many of Gujarat’s recent industrial fires point towards deeper process safety lapses:
Reactor and vessel design flaws leading to runaway reactions.
Poor process hazard analysis (PHA) and inadequate risk assessments before scaling production.
Over-storage of incompatible chemicals, increasing fire and explosion potential.
Lack of real-time monitoring for temperature, pressure, and leak detection.
Maintenance backlogs, where safety-critical equipment like relief valves or scrubbers are not tested regularly.
Inadequate management of change (MOC) when processes or raw materials are altered.
True safety is not just about fighting fires—it is about preventing them at the source through disciplined process safety management (PSM).
The tragic loss of two lives in Mehsana and the repeated fires in Panoli, Dahej, Ankleshwar, and Jhagadia are a wake-up call. Gujarat cannot afford to normalise such accidents.
Industrial growth must be accompanied by:
Mandatory third-party fire and process safety audits.
Integration of process safety principles (HAZOP, LOPA, SIL studies) into every project.
Continuous worker training and certification programs.
Zero-tolerance enforcement of safety violations by authorities.
⚠️ The time has come for industries to shift from compliance-driven safety to a culture of prevention. Gujarat’s industrial success story must not be overshadowed by repeated tragedies—it must be safeguarded by robust fire and process safety systems that protect both workers and communities.
We offer a full suite of HSEFS services designed to address your specific challenges and goals : HSE Consulting & Advisory, HSE Auditing & Assurance, HSE Training & Development, Implementation & Support, Environmental Services
Copyright 2025. Agni Raksha Niti Engineering Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.