At least fifteen people were killed and over two dozen sustained injuries after a reactor exploded at a pharmaceutical plant in Andhra Pradesh's Anakapalle district on Wednesday. The incident occurred at the Escientia Company’s facility, located within the Achutapuram Special Economic Zone. The explosion, which took place at the pharma firm’s plant, caused significant damage and resulted in multiple injuries. Emergency services quickly responded to the scene, and the injured were immediately transported to the NTR Hospital and other private hospitals for treatment.
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Electricity-related fire led to the incident
Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan said the accident occurred around 2 pm at the Escientia pharma plant. “We lost four employees. The incident happened not because of a reactor blast,” Krishnan said. Officials suspect it to be an electricity-related fire. Around 30 injured people were shifted to different hospitals in Anakapalli and Atchutapuram, she said. Further, the collector said 13 people trapped in the unit were rescued.
Authorities rushed to spot
According to the information, the incident occurred at lunchtime. The blast caused widespread panic in the surrounding rural areas as smoke from the explosion spread across the region. Residents reported feeling alarmed by the sudden smoke and noise, with many fearing for their safety. In response to the emergency, Anakapalle District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) rushed to the scene to oversee the situation and coordinate rescue efforts.
CM Chandrababu Naidu takes stock of things
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to the District Collector over the phone and inquired about the incident. He directed the officials to provide the best possible medical facilities to the injured. The Chief Minister also assured that the government would provide all necessary assistance to the families of the deceased. The farm company had a total of 387 employees, and around 300 were working at the time of the explosion.
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