Wailing relatives of the deceased complained that authorities were not keeping them informed about the whereabouts of their affected kin.
Published Aug 21, 2024 | 11:57 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 22, 2024 | 9:42 AM
Fire in a building. Representational Image. (iStock)
A fire accident at a pharma unit at Andhra Pradesh’s Atchutapuram on Wednesday, 21 August killed at least 17 people while over 40 people who sustained injuries have been hospitalised for treatment.
The death toll from the reactor explosion at Escientia Advanced Sciences Pvt Ltd in Anakapalli district is expected to rise, in the explosion that took place at a pharmaceutical company located in Atchutapuram Special Economic Zone (SEZ). A total of 41 people at least have sustained injuries and were hospitalised in various hospitals across Anakapalli and Atchutapuram.
State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan to ensure the best possible medical care for the victims.
The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined, and authorities fear the death toll may rise further as the first-floor slab of the pharma unit collapsed under the force of the blast. Police have indicated that some workers might still be trapped in the debris.
The fire broke out at 2:15 pm at Escientia Advanced Science Pvt Ltd at Atchutapuram in Anakapalli district. The company, which manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) commenced production in April 2019 with an investment of ₹200 crore.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to use air ambulance services, if needed, to shift the injured persons for better treatment from the accident spot. The CM, who is scheduled to visit the multi-product special economic zone (SEZ) where the accident occurred, observed that air ambulance services could be used to shift patients either to Visakhapatnam or Hyderabad for better medical care.
“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,” said an official press release. The CM will visit the accident site on Thursday, 22 August to call on the families of the deceased persons and also meet those who were seriously injured.
Further, he ordered a high level enquiry into the incident, promising stringent action against the management if its negligence was found to have caused the tragic incident. Naidu spoke multiple times with Anakapalli district collector Vijaya Krishnan over the incident and issued instructions to extend better services for the affected people.
Wailing relatives of the deceased persons complained that authorities were not keeping them informed about the developments and also whereabouts of their affected kin. The company is located in a 40-acre campus in the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation’s (APIIC) multi-product special economic zone (SEZ) at Atchutapuram cluster.
At the time of the explosion, over 200 workers were present in the facility. Nearly a dozen fire tenders from Anakapalli and surrounding areas were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the flames, while teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are conducting rescue and relief operations.
Top district administration and police officials rushed to the site. Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan stated that the injured workers have been transported to NTR Hospital in Anakapalle town, KG Hospital in Vizag city, and other local hospitals. State Labour Minister Vasamsetti Subhash noted that the exact death toll remains uncertain as rescue efforts continue. The Minister also pointed out that frequent mishaps in the industry are often due to inadequate supervision by third-party agencies.
It’s important to note that just last month, a similar incident occurred in the SEZ at Atchutapuram, where one person sustained severe burns and several others suffered minor injuries following a reactor explosion at a chemical factory. In June of last year, six people were killed in a massive explosion at another pharma unit in the Atchutapuram SEZ.
In response to the tragedy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow and assured support for the victims’ families. The Chief Minister is in constant communication with key officials, including the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, Home Minister, and Secretaries of Health, Industry, and Factories.
The factory operates with 381 employees in two shifts. The blast occurred during lunchtime. Therefore, staff’s presence was less, The explosion is suspected to be electricity-related. Escientia Advanced Sciences, which manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) commenced production in April 2019 with an investment of ₹200 crore. It is located in a 40-acre campus in the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation’s (APIIC) multi-product special economic zone (SEZ) at the Atchutapuram cluster.
(Edited by Neena with inputs from Sumit Jha)
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