The death toll from the explosion at a pharmaceuticals plant in Andhra Pradesh rose to 17 on Thursday, with 34 others injured. The explosion occurred on Wednesday at the 40-acre Escientia Advanced Sciences plant in Anakapalli district and officials suspect that the blast originated from a chemical reactor.
“Pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap at a factory in Anakapalli. Condolences to those who lost their near and dear ones,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
10 points on explosion at Andhra Pradesh pharmaceuticals plant
- After the incident at Escientia Advanced Science Pvt Ltd. at 2.15pm, injured workers with severe burns and blood-soaked bodies were transported to hospitals in ambulances.
- Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident and promised strict action against the management if negligence is found to be the cause.
- District police superintendent M Deepika said rescue operations are complete with a final toll of 17 dead and 34 injured.Investigators believe the blast was caused by a gas leak that eventually reached an electrical panel.
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4. The company manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and it began operations in April 2019 with an investment of ₹200 crore.
{{/usCountry}}4. The company manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and it began operations in April 2019 with an investment of ₹200 crore.
{{/usCountry}}5. It is located on a 40-acre campus within the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation's (APIIC) multi-product SEZ at the Atchutapuram cluster.
6. The damage could have been worse, but fewer workers were in the plant at the time of the accident due to lunchtime.
7. While reports suggest the accident was due to a reactor blast, officials said that the incident occurred when solvent oil was being pumped between floors, causing a leak that led to a fire and a subsequent large explosion, according to a post on X by Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Konidala Pawan Kalyan.
8. Relatives of the victims, who were wailing, complained that authorities were not keeping them informed about the developments or the whereabouts of their affected family members.
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9. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed condolences for the loss of lives in the tragic fire and urged the government to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
10. The company has two R&D centers in Connecticut (US) and Hyderabad, as well as a commercial manufacturing site at Anakapalli.