'7 Pulgaon victims were blown to pieces due to explosions'

The intensity of fire and explosions at central ammunition depot at Pulgaon in Wardha district was such that seven of the victims were blown to pieces, a top police official said.

Three more bodies were recovered on Wednesday from the site of the fire mishap, taking the death toll to 19.

“Three bodies charred beyond recognition have been recovered from the accident site today,” Defence sources said.

All the three belonged to Defence Security Corps, the sources added.

"Seven of them were blown to pieces and their body parts were later recovered from the site. The impact of the fire and explosions was so severe that these victims were thrown in the air and landed in pieces," a top police official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

Seventeen persons including a senior CAD official were on Tuesday rushed to the AcharyaVinobaBhaveRuralHospital in Sawangi Meghe as they sustained injuries in the blaze that broke out at one of Asia’s biggest ammunition depot, which houses the largest stockpile of weapons in the country.

Three of the injured were airlifted to ArmyHospital in Pune on Wednesday, a hospital spokesperson said.

They include Deputy Commandant of the CAD, Col Ganendra Singh and two other officers-- Sharad Yadav and Jagdish Chandra.

Yadav has suffered some injuries on his face and arm caused by flying splinters and Chandra suffered burn injuries, the spokesperson said.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar along with Army Chief General Dalbir Singh had visited the hospital on Tuesday after inspecting the fire site.

The Army has instituted an inquiry into the incident.

Parrikar had said that there was no sabotage involved in the fire at the ammunition depot but the exact cause would be known only after inquiry.

Loud explosions were heard one after the other and raging fire lit up the night sky at Pulgaon in Wardha district.

The police official said it was for the first time in the history of this depot that such fatalities has occurred.

On two occasions in the past, major fires were recorded -- in 1980 and 2004. However, there was no loss of life.

Most of the patients complained of injuries in ear drums. Some of them sustained burn wounds, while some others were injured due to flying splinters after explosions, he said.