Fire at Indian pharmaceutical factory after explosion kills at least six workers and burns 13 others

Survivors have blamed company’s negligence for mishap

Fire tenders at the factory site where a leak in a chemical reactor led to an explosion that ultimately killed six people (Screengrab | NDTV / YouTube)

At least six people died and 13 have been hospitalised with burn wounds after a pharmaceutical factory in Andhra Pradesh in southern India caught fire on Wednesday night.

The victims were working the night shift when the factory, Porus Laboratories Private Limited of Akkireddy Gudem village in Eluru district, caught fire.

Local police said five workers died on the spot while one succumbed to his serious burn injuries at the Government General Hospital in nearby Vijayawada city. The hospitalised workers received almost 80 per cent burns and are in a critical condition.

Porus manufactures active pharmaceuticals ingredients (APIs) and speciality chemicals at the unit.

The leakage of monomethyl nitric acid, which is used to manufacture several types of polymers, from a chemical reactor is believed to have caused the fire, police said on Thursday. Witnesses told reporters that it took almost two hours to get the fire under control.

Senior police officer Rahul Sharma told reporters that the leak caused an explosion in the factory. They are conducting further investigations to determine the cause of the leak.

More than 100 people were working in the factory at the time of the mishap. They ran out of their units when they heard the loud explosion.

Local police officer B Srinivasulu said around 18 people, including two chemists, were inside the unit that caught fire.

Survivors have blamed the negligence of the company for the fire that killed their colleagues, according to news agency IANS.

District collector Prasanna Venkatesh said officials will conduct an inquiry and take action against the company if it is found to be negligent.

The factory has been closed till inquiries are completed.