Explosions at Pithampur waste treatment facility

Indore/Mhow: Pithampur's industrial belt was jolted on Tuesday by at least three explosions inside a hazardous waste Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) in Sector-2, where 899 tonnes of ash generated from incineration of toxic Union Carbide factory waste from Bhopal, is stored in a leak-proof landfill site.No injuries were reported in the blasts that prompted MP pollution control board (MPPCB) to direct the parent firm, Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd, to suspend operations in its Tarpura-based Madhya Pradesh Waste Management Project in Dhar district, pending further clearance. MPPCB sources said that the explosions occurred approximately 450 meters from the landfill site where residual ash generated from the incineration of Union Carbide factory waste had been disposed of. The incident took place within the factory's stabilization shed, which houses three pits containing cement, fly ash, and mud, they said.Dhar SP Mayank Awasthi said, "The explosions reported at the facility in Pithampur appear to be linked to an exothermic chemical reaction, where heat generation led to a rise in temperature and pressure inside the unit. The heat buildup likely caused displacement of the tin roofing, but the blasts did not have destructive intensity. The sound would have been loud, but the impact was limited."Awasthi added that a detailed technical assessment will be carried out by experts to ascertain the exact cause.Locals and eyewitnesses claimed that the impact of the blasts was felt up to nearly a kilometre away, with people in adjoining Tarpura, Bajrangpura and Chirakhan reporting tremors strong enough to knock utensils off their stands. Many villagers rushed out of their homes in fear as the loud explosions echoed across the area.Police teams found that nearby residential quarters remained largely unaffected. "Windows of adjoining structures were intact, indicating that the impact zone was contained within the facility," said SP Awasthi. He said that soil was used to neutralise the affected area, preventing any fire. "There were no flames and no injuries reported," he said, confirming that the situation was under control.CSP Ravi Soner said that a detailed inspection of the site was underway and authorities were working to determine what triggered the blasts. Police along with technical experts are examining the site to ascertain the exact sequence of events that led to the explosions. MPPCB officer for Dhar region, Ajay Mishra, told TOI, "We have directed Ramky Enviro Engg Ltd to halt operations immediately. While the exact cause of the blast remains unknown, we have collected samples for analysis."State industrial health and safety department joint director Rajesh Yadav, who visited the site, told TOI, "A formal investigation was launched by the department into the incident to find out the exact cause of the explosions and also if there was any negligence".The TSDF had received 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste transported from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal on Jan 1-2, 2025. Following a high court order, trial burns commenced on Feb 28, 2025. Incineration was completed by late June 2025, but the process has left behind 899 tonnes of residual ash.