At least 17 persons were killed and 41 more injured in a massive explosion that occurred on Wednesday at the Escientia Advanced Sciences company in the Anakapalle region of Andhra Pradesh, India.
The pharmaceutical company Escientia operates out of the Achutapuram Special Economic Zone, which is where the incident took place.
The blast took place at the plant’s chemical reactor, where Escientia produces intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Officials have indicated that the explosion might have originated from an electricity-related fire or a gas leak that reached an electrical panel.
The severity of the blast caused extensive damage, with smoke from the explosion visible over the surrounding villages.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and six fire engines were among the emergency services that quickly arrived to put out the fire and support rescue efforts.
Workers who had been hurt were promptly brought to Visakhapatnam’s NTR Hospital to receive medical attention.
N Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, has demanded a thorough probe into the occurrence.
He has assured that strict action will be taken against the plant’s management if negligence is found to be the cause.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences on social media, grieving the loss of lives and sending his sympathy to the victims’ families, emphasizing India’s commitment to safety and the need of diligence in industrial operations.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also called for preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
