An explosion at the Loutolim shipyard that claimed the lives of three workers has once again brought back grim memories of several similar incidents that have shaken the State in the past. In light of this tragedy, The Goan revisits some of those cases that continue to serve as reminders of the urgent need for stricter safety measures and accountability
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July 2009: Global Ispat Ltd at Cuncolim; 3 killed, 45 injured
Three workers lost their lives while another 45 were injured in a high-velocity explosion at the foundry unit of Global Ispat Ltd at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. The three critically burnt workers later succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at the GMC. The investigating agencies had concluded that the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders used in the foundry process triggered the blast.
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April 2011, Zuari Industries Ltd, 5 injured
A ruptured naphtha pipeline outside Zuari Industries Limited (ZIL) at Zuarinagar leaked, leading to a blast so loud that it was heard about 1 km away and gutted 39 vehicles parked outside ZIL. Around 50 tonnes of naphtha were burnt in the accident, but no fatalities were reported. However, five people sustained burn injuries.
The Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) workers, who were carrying out excavations to lay a gas pipeline, ruptured the steel pipeline carrying naphtha. As many as seven fire tenders, along with ZIL's private fire tenders, worked on extinguishing the fire.
While the blast burnt down the excavator, it also gutted the two-wheeler, cement and asbestos sheet staff parking lot, six cars, 28 motorbikes, three trucks, one tempo and a JCB excavator parked in the open, and a tanker.
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Nov 2015, Furnace blast at Cuncolim; 5 injured
A blast in an industrial furnace within an industrial unit in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate had left five workers injured. As per reports, the blast occurred after water spilled onto the electric furnace, causing a short circuit.
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January 2019: Tuem Industrial Estate, 9 injured
A blast in a cement block manufacturing factory, possibly from a boiler chamber explosion, injured a total of nine workers, of whom three were critical but later recovered. The blast damaged the factory, a car, a tempo and two bikes. An adjacent factory, too, sustained some damage.
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April 2021: Cylinder explosion at Cuncolim; 1 dead, 2 injured
One young worker and his two colleagues were injured in a cylinder explosion at a Cuncolim oxygen factory that occurred when the workers were in the process of stacking oxygen cylinders, and one of them exploded. The police booked the factory officials for negligence.
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May, 2022: Zuari Agro Chemicals; 3 killed
Three workers were killed at Zuari Agro Chemicals’ fertiliser manufacturing plant when a blast occurred at a maintenance ammonia tank. A total of six people, including ZACL officials and private contractors, were placed under arrest for negligence. The blast happened because they used gas-cutting equipment (hot work) instead of the recommended cold work methods on a tank that likely had residual gas.
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Jan, 2023: Berger Becker Coatings
The paint factory was reduced to ashes, with 10 fire engines and the Indian Navy pressed into service to battle the blaze. Almost 200 people living in close proximity were evacuated as thick smoke engulfed the area. A short circuit was identified as the cause of the fire, which saw no casualties or injuries. The fire was exacerbated by the large quantity of paint and flammable chemicals stored inside the factory. These materials caused several explosions during the multi-day blaze.
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March 2025: Hughes Precision at Naqueri
A major warehouse storing explosives for a private ammunition factory exploded in Naqueri-Betul on March 20, 2025, causing a massive blast that could be seen from 15 km away and damaging nearby houses. While no casualties or injuries were reported, cracks developed in the houses located in the vicinity. An inquiry revealed that the company had stored 11,000 kilograms of gunpowder without obtaining permission from the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
