Three workers died and as many were injured after an air-conditioner compressor exploded at Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) plant at Alibag in the adjoining Raigad district on Wednesday evening, a police official said.

According to the Raigad police official, a group of workers was repairing an air conditioner at the RCF unit at Thal in Alibag, located about 100km from Mumbai, when suddenly a blast occurred in the AC compressor at around 4.45 pm.

However, the public sector company said the incident took place when an AC was being installed at the unit by a third-party vendor and an inquiry has been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion.

Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police of Raigad district, told PTI, "Three labourers died, while three others were injured in the incident. Further investigation was underway and we will register a case at the Alibag police station.”

The injured were admitted to a local hospital, he added.

"We had procured a 1.5-ton package AC from M/s Airezo Global for RCF, Thal. While installing this unit, a blast occurred in which three persons suffered fatal injuries, while three others were injured," said an RCF source.

The workers who died in the blast were identified by the company as Ankit Sharma (27), Faizal Saikh (32) and Dilshad Idrasi (29).

The injured workers, identified as Sazid Siddiqui, Jintendra Sherke and Atinder, were later shifted to hospitals in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai for further treatment, said the source.

Of the injured, one worker suffered 60 per cent burns and was admitted to National Burns Centre at Airoli in Navi Mumbai. The other two sustained hand and head injuries and were shifted to Fortis Hospital in Mumbai, ?the source said.

He said the inquiry report is expected to be submitted in two to three days.?