Six people were killed and 13 others injured after a fire broke out at a pharmaceutical unit at Akkireddygudem in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh around Thursday midnight, 14 April. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.
A reactor blast due to gas leak is suspected to be the cause behind the fire.
The fire was brought under control in two hours.
According to reports, the victims were working in Unit 4 of the pharmaceutical unit when the fire broke out.
All the six who died were migrant workers from Bihar. They were identified as Udurupathi Krishnaiah, B Kiran Kumar, Kaaru Ravi Das, Manoj Kumar, Suvaas Ravi Das, and Habdas Ravi Das.
Only two victims' bodies have been recovered so far, as per NDTV.
All the injured persons are undergoing treatment at Andhra Hospitals in Vijayawada.
The Chairman of the AP Pollution Control Board, AK Parida, issued an order on Thursday to disconnect power at the pharma unit. He said in a statement that the accident caused environmental damage with the release of harmful emissions and hazardous waste generation.
Case Registered Against Management
A case was registered at the Musunuru Police Station against the management of the pharma company under Article 118 (Rules of Procedure), Article 337 (Educational Grants for SC/ST), Article 338 (Monitoring and Safeguarding SC/ST), and Article 304 (II) (Restriction on trade).
Eluru Collector Prasanna Krishna said that the factory has been seized until further notice.
The collector also said that action will be taken against the authorities after the investigation is completed.
PM Modi Expresses Condolences, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy Announces Compensation
Reacting to the incident, PM Modi said he was "pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap at a chemical unit in Eluru."
"Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister (CM) Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed grief over the incident and announced Rs 25 lakh compensation for the family members of the deceased.
He also announced Rs 5 lakh for those critically injured and Rs 2 lakh for those who sustained minor injuries.
Officials have been instructed to monitor the health of the injured and the Superintendent of Police and district collector have been directed to conduct a thorough investigation into the reason for the incident.
Chandrababu Naidu Demands Stringent Action Against Those Responsible
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the incident and demanded stringent action against those responsible for the mishap.
Naidu said the government should provide all necessary medical treatment to save the injured people's lives.
He also conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members.
The management of factories should not compromise on the safety aspects of the workers and initiate necessary steps for the safety of the workers' lives in industries, he said. The inspections should be stepped up in the factories to check any discrepancy, he added.
Meanwhile, TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh expressed anguish over the tragic mishap and blamed the government's complacency for the loss of six lives. At least now, steps should be taken to ensure total safety for the workers in industries, he said.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Sri Biswabhusan Harichandan expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and offered his condolences to the bereaved family members and wished for the speedy recovery of those injured in the accident.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
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