Four workers sustained injuries when a fire broke out at a pharmaceutical company in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district on Friday. The incident occurred at Synergies Active Ingredients Private Ltd, located in Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City in Parawada, approximately 20 km from Visakhapatnam.
The fire started around 1 am when chemicals being mixed in a reactor ignited. According to Anakapalli Superintendent of Police M Deepika Patil, the vapors from the reactor, ignited by static electricity, led to burn injuries for four workers. Fortunately, there were no fatalities reported. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.
This incident marks the second industrial accident in the district within a 48-hour period. Earlier in the week, a major explosion at Escientia Advanced Sciences Private Limited in the Atchutapuram pharma SEZ resulted in 17 deaths and over 31 injuries. Notably, Parawada is just 13 km away from the Atchutapuram SEZ.
Following the latest incident, police and emergency services quickly arrived at the scene, transporting the injured to Indus Hospital in Visakhapatnam. State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, BJP MP C M Ramesh, and Jana Sena Party MLA Panchakarla Ramesh visited the injured at the hospital. Among the injured are Lal Singh, Koher, and Rossa from Jharkhand, and Suryanarayana, a chemist from Vizianagaram. Suryanarayana’s condition is reported as critical.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu instructed the Anakapalli district collector to ensure the best medical care for the injured workers. YSR Congress Party President and former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also visited the injured from the previous explosion and criticized the current government for its delayed response and inadequate emergency support.
Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the Naidu-led government of failing to act swiftly, noting that the initial response was lacking essential services like ambulances, leading to delays in medical treatment. He called for a comprehensive investigation into the fire and emphasized the need for strict enforcement of safety protocols to prevent future accidents. Jagan highlighted his administration’s prompt response and compensation efforts following the LG Polymers incident in May 2020 and urged the current government to uphold safety reforms and provide immediate compensation to the affected families.
Sources By Agencies
