Two workers from Bihar were killed on the spot and two others, including a woman worker, were injured when a reactor exploded in a chemical manufacturing factory on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Monday afternoon, the police said.
The accident occurred at Jeevika Life Sciences Private Limited, a company located in Phase-5 of the Jeedimetla Industrial Area. The deceased were identified as Ambareesh and Anwar. The injured were shifted to Gandhi Hospital for treatment, the Jeedimetla police said.
Eyewitnesses told the police that about 20 people were injured were shifted to Gandhi Hospital for treatment. They were working in the chemical factory when the blast occurred at around 3 pm. The roof of the factory shed was blown into pieces which were scattered all over the place. Workers ran out of the premises in panic.
The deafening sound of the explosion was heard by the people in the residential colonies located a kilometre away from the factory and smoke engulfed the entire area.
Jeedimetla sector-I sub-inspector of police E Chandraiah said the exact cause of the explosion in the reactor was yet to be ascertained. A state disaster response team and the fire services brought the fire under control after fighting it for four hours, he said.
{{/usCountry}}Jeedimetla sector-I sub-inspector of police E Chandraiah said the exact cause of the explosion in the reactor was yet to be ascertained. A state disaster response team and the fire services brought the fire under control after fighting it for four hours, he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Rescue and restoration operations are underway,” Chandraiah said, adding that the police had seized the factory immediately.
Local residents told the police that they had lodged complaints with the Pollution Control Board several times about the pollution emanating from the company.