MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI OSCAR FERNANDES)
(a): Yes, Sir.
(b): 21 workers dies in the explosion which occurred on 5th May, 2007 in M/s Premier
Explo Chem Ltd. Pasta Village, Taluka Sinnar, Distt. Nasik, Maharashtra as per the report of the
Expert Committee constituted by Government of Maharashtra.
(c): Yes, Sir. An enquiry has been conducted through an Experts Committee set-up by
Government of Maharashtra under Section 90 of the Factories Act, 1948.
(d): Details are given in Annexure.
(e) to (f): The Controller of Explosives which regulates manufacture and storage of explosive
material had given permission to M/s Premier Explo Chem Ltd., for producing and storing explosive
materials. However, the premises was not registered under the Factories Act, 1948 and no licence
was issued to the occupier of the premises for carrying out the manufacturing process.
(g): The Government of Maharashtra is the competent authority to enforce the provisions
contained in the Factories Act, 1948 and the Rules made thereunder. Accordingly, the Government of
Maharashtra has initiated prosecution against the occupier/manager of the factory on 10.7.2007 in
the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nasik.
Annexure
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 604 FOR ANSWER
ON 3.3.2008 REGARDING KILLING OF WORKERS IN NASIK BY SHRI DEVIDAS PINGLE AND SHRI M.K. SUBBA.
The Committee has stated in their report that M/s. Premier Explo Chem Ltd., engaged in
the manufacturing of emulsion explosives. The main raw materials used were Paraffin Wax / Lshs,
Sorbitan Mono Oleate (SMO) , DG-6, Sodium Nitrite, Sulphur, Ammonium Nitrate, Zinc Nitrate And
Sodium Nitrate. In the process of manufacturing, the Oxidizer Blend (OB) consisting of Ammonium
Nitrate, Sodium Nitrate and Zinc Nitrate at 85oC and Fuel Blend (FB) consisting of Paraffin Wax
and SMO (emulsifier) at 80oC are separately made and both are pumped into pre-mixture in the
ratio of 94 : 6. The emulsion so formed is then pumped into holding tanks which is at an elevation
of about 13 – 15 ft. from the pre-mixture. The emulsion mixture is dropped from the holding tank
into a blender by gravity. Prilled Ammonium Nitrate and Sulphur / atomized Aluminium powder are
also added manually in the blender. After thorough blending, the mix is then dropped into the
hopper. From hopper the emulsion matrix is bifurcated into two separate roto pumps. Each roto
pump pushes the emulsion into cartridging machine through static mixer. The gassing agent
(Sodium Nitrite Solution) is also injected online into the emulsion which sensitizes the emulsion
Matrix. The small dia cartridges are made in Cartridge Machine (KP machine) and transferred onto
dry conveyor belt for cooling and packaging. The conveyor belt speed is adjusted such that
cartridges residence time on conveyor belt is limited to 3-4 minutes and final product density
attains 1.15-1.2 gm/cc. Then cartridges are further cooled in cold water and then dried and
packed.
On the day of the explosion, the temperature of the FB tank material was lower than
required. This led to decrease in the temperature of in-process material leading to thickening
more than normal. This temperature decrease was more in the blender material where prilled
ammonium nitrate at room temperature was added. Due to the lowering of temperature and thickening
of the process material, the discharge flow from roto pumps probably stopped and the pumps
continued to run therein leading to high temperature and pressure in the process material
trapped inside the roto pumps. This abnormal situation may have caused an explosion in one
or more pumps generating a shockwave, which caused immediate explosion of the entire material
in the manufacturing shed. In the above accident, 21 persons / workers including 3 adolescents
have died.
