17 dead, over 30 injured in major fire and explosion at Andhra Pradesh pharma plant
- In Reports
- 06:19 PM, Aug 22, 2024
- Myind Staff
A devastating fire and explosion at a pharmaceutical plant in Andhra Pradesh's Anakapalli district claimed the lives of 17 workers and left more than 30 injured on 21st August. The incident occurred at Escientia Advanced Science Pvt Ltd, a unit manufacturing intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The explosion and fire, suspected to be electricity-related, took place at around 2:15 pm, coinciding with lunchtime when the plant had fewer workers on site, potentially preventing an even greater tragedy.
Harrowing scenes followed the explosion, with injured workers suffering severe burns and injuries being rushed to hospitals in ambulances. Their skin was reported to be ripped and peeling, and bodies soaked in blood, as medical teams responded to the emergency. More than 30 injured individuals were transported to various hospitals in Anakapalli and Atchutapuram, while 13 workers trapped inside the unit were rescued with the help of ladder vehicles, according to Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan.
The factory operates with 381 employees in two shifts, and the fire occurred when many of them were on a lunch break. "The fire occurred during lunchtime. Therefore, staff presence was less," Krishnan said.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and assured the families of the deceased that the government would stand by them in their time of need. He has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident and warned that stringent action would be taken against the company management if negligence was found to have caused the tragedy. The Chief Minister also directed officials to ensure the best possible care for the injured, instructing them to use air ambulance services if necessary to transfer patients to Visakhapatnam or Hyderabad for advanced medical treatment.
"The CM instructed officials to use air ambulance services to shift the injured persons if needed. He also directed the health secretary to immediately visit the accident spot," stated an official communication from the Chief Minister’s office. Naidu is scheduled to visit the accident site on Thursday to meet with the families of those who lost their lives and those seriously injured in the explosion.
Reports suggested that the explosion might have been caused by a reactor blast; however, the Office of the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Konidala Pawan Kalyan, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the blaze and subsequent explosion were triggered by a solvent oil leakage while it was being pumped from one floor to another. Kalyan extended his condolences to the families of the victims and directed authorities to conduct a thorough safety audit to ensure strict implementation of safety standards and regulations.
Meanwhile, distraught relatives of the victims complained about the lack of communication from authorities, expressing frustration over not being kept informed about the developments or the whereabouts of their affected family members.
Image source: PTI
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