Victims contemplate bleak future, many hurt in frenzy

For 32-year-old Poonam Chavan, whose husband, a small-time labourer in a fragrance manufacturing company near the Dombivali blast site, lost his leg to an injury in the blast, the future appears bleak.

Poonam, who works as a household maid is worried for her husband Ashok’s safety, believes no one will employ her husband after the disability and that she cannot run her house alone. “I do not even have the money for the operation and no one from the government has approached us for compensation yet,” she said.

Similarly, Omprakash Puram, who works as a labourer in Dotmund Pharma, located right beside Probace Enterpises sustained severe injuries on his leg, his body and minor injuries on his head. Doctors told his wife Deepali Puram that Omprakash will have to undergo multiple surgeries.

Sagar Pawar, who also works at Dotmund Pharma, and who sustained minor injuries, said, “I do not remember the moment of the blast. I do not recall an explosion or anything hitting my head. I just collapsed. I was told our factory is damaged greatly.” About 25 workers from the adjoining factories sustained injuries in varying degrees.

The panic that resulted from the explosion led to a frenzy of activity in the neighbourhood that further led to injuries. Thirty-eight-year-old Mahesh Mankar, who lives on the ground floor of a high rise in the vicinity, said, “As soon as I heard the explosion, I thought it was an earthquake. I ran to the broken window and tried to punch a bigger hole in the glass. I cut my entire fore arm in the process and have got 30 stitches. I don’t remember if the door was jammed, or why we did not try to exit from there.”

During the rescue operations, a senior police official, Vilas Shende, had to be rushed to the casualty department of AIIMS, after he experienced breathlessness during duty at the blast site.