Officials say at least nine people have been killed and 64 are injured in an explosion and fire at a chemical factory in western India. The explosion in the factory’s boiler Thursday led to a fire that affected other nearby factories and houses in Maharashtra state’s Thane district. The blaze has been extinguished, but rescuers were expecting to find more bodies in the debris. The cause of the explosion, which sent a huge cloud of grey smoke over the area, is being investigated. Fires are common across India because of poor safety standards and lax enforcement of regulations. Activists say builders often cut corners on safety to save costs and have accused civic authorities of negligence and apathy.
