Factory blast kills 12 workers in western India

At least 12 workers were killed Wednesday when part of a chemical warehouse collapsed following a powerful blast in western India, officials said.

A fire official said the dead included five women and nine other people were injured in the incident at an industrial complex on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, a major city in western Gujarat state.

"The death toll has increased to 12 which includes five women. Nine people are injured and undergoing treatment in hospital," a fire control room duty officer told AFP.

Those hurt were undergoing treatment, he added. Eyewitnesses told reporters that the explosion ripped apart the walls of the building, including a textile facility that operated from the complex.

Ahmadabad chief fire officer M. F. Dastur said a preliminary investigation suggested the explosion was triggered by a fire in a chemical store, and the blast left the building in a pile of rubble.

India is frequently rocked by industrial disasters that experts blame on poor planning and lax enforcement of safety rules.

SS