Five workers killed, many injured in blast at chemical unit in Gujarat’s Bharuch
A chemical reactor explosion at SynZeal Pharmachem in Gujarat's Bharuch district resulted in five worker deaths and five injuries. The blast occurred during a hydrogenation process and triggered a toxic methylene dichloride gas leak.
Why it matters
This incident highlights ongoing industrial safety concerns in chemical manufacturing hubs and the risks posed to migrant labor populations.
Five workers killed, many injured in blast at chemical unit in Gujarat’s Bharuch left Representative image. Getty Images/iStockphotos Getty Images/iStockphotos https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/olski2/article71595485.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/iStock-539213388.jpg ToppyBaker Molecular sieve dehydration system : Oil and gas Refinery The explosion, suspected to have occurred during a hydrogenation process, was so powerful that it ripped apart the reactor tank, scattering machinery parts across the premises, Bharuch Sub-Divisional Magistrate Manisha Manani said Bharuch As many as five workers were killed and five others injured after an explosion ripped through a chemical manufacturing unit in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, officials said on Saturday (October 17, 2026). The blast occurred around 10 p.m. on Friday (October 16) during a hydrogenation process at SynZeal Pharmachem in the Saykha GIDC area in Vagra taluka, triggering a toxic leak of methylene dichloride (MDC) gas, they said.
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