Two research students killed in BARC lab fire

Two research students were burnt alive in a fire that broke out at a chemical laboratory inside the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) complex at Trombay, near Mumbai.

An official statement said that no reactor, radioactivity or radiation was involved in the accident.

The accident happened at 12.05 pm in one of the rooms of the Modular Laboratory, which had a few analytical instruments like spectrophotometers, said an official release.

Agencies said the victims were in the age group of 22-25 years and were identified as Umang Singh of Mumbai and Partha Bag of Kolkata.

“There was a loud bang after which black smoke billowed out of the chemistry lab filling the corridor,” BARC director and Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Sreekumar Banerjee told news agency PTI.

It was not immediately clear if the bang was caused by any explosion or was triggered by a chemical reaction. No research involving radioactive material is conducted in the multi-storeyed modular lab, said the official.

The BARC fire brigade arrived immediately and brought the fire under control in about 45 minutes. The two bodies, charred beyond recognition, were discovered by the firemen who entered the laboratory after extinguishing the fire.

Police have started investigations and BARC has also started investigating the cause of the fire, said the release.