NEW DELHI, March 9 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and around a dozen others injured in a massive blast that triggered fire inside a chemical factory in India's western state of Maharashtra, police said Friday.

The blast took place Thursday night inside a boiler of the factory at Boisar-Tarapur industrial estate in Palghar district, about 150 km north of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra.

"Last night at around 11:40 (local time) a massive explosion took place inside a boiler filled with industrial solvent at a private factory, triggering fire," a senior police official said. "Three unidentified bodies were found at the site and 13 people were injured in the incident."

The blast shattered window panes of buildings in the vicinity and locals said the impact of the blast was heard within a radius of 8 km.

Authorities rushed 11 fire tenders to the spot to contain the fire that spread to the nearby factories.

"Firefighting measures are underway and a lot of smoke has engulfed the area," the official said.

Accidental explosions are common at Indian factories as owners usually ignore safety standards.