Explosion at IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd in Barnala; no casualties reported

A major fire mishap was averted at IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd at Fatehgarh Channa village here late on Tuesday night after an explosion and fire broke out in one of the plant’s units. Luckily, no casualty was reported.

According to factory officials, the incident took place around 10 pm in Unit 9, where three workers were on duty. Basant Singh, a senior factory official, said the temperature of a large chemical storage tank suddenly increased, leading to the explosion.

The sound of the explosion was heard in some nearby villages.

Basant Singh said the factory’s fire safety systems worked properly and helped control the situation after the explosion, reducing damage to property.

Following the incident, Deputy Commissioner Harpreet Singh and SSP Mohammad Sarfaraz Alam reached the factory along with officials from various departments. They inspected the affected unit and reviewed the safety arrangements.

The SSP said emergency teams responded quickly after receiving information about the fire. “The fire was brought under control within a short time and fortunately no loss of life was reported,” he said.

Notably, an explosion had occurred on the factory premises last month as well.