The two injured, Vijay B Rabara and Jayesh B Patel, were immediately rushed to the SSG hospital when they started having respiratory problems. According to the doctors their condition is stable now.

Company director Anil Patel said that the incident took place around 7.20 a.m. during the change of shift. He said that the injured employees were senior staffers with experience of several years and had full knowledge about the operation of the plant.

Patel said that the cause of the crack could not be ascertained immediately. He added that a pharmaceutical intermediate, a 100 per cent export product, was manufactured in the Dabasa plant.

Padra police, when contacted, said that a case had been registered in this connection and investigations were on.