Andhra Pradesh: Fire breaks out in a pharma company in Achutapuram, 17 dead, 33 injured so far; CM will visit the spot

Amaravati. A fire broke out in a pharma company factory in Achutapuram, Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. 17 people died and 33 others were injured in the accident. The injured have been admitted to various hospitals in Anakapalli and Achutapuram, while the fire department is engaged in rescue work with the help of six fire engines.

Anakapalli District Magistrate Vijaya Krishnan said that the accident took place at around 2:15 pm in the plant of Essentia Advanced Sciences Private Limited. Krishnan said that 381 employees work in the factory. Work is done here in two shifts. The explosion took place during the lunch break in the afternoon. Therefore, the attendance of employees was less. The explosion occurred due to an electrical short circuit. 33 injured people have been admitted to various hospitals in Anakapalli and Achutapuram, while the fire department is engaged in rescue work with the help of six fire engines. The DM said that 381 workers work in two shifts in the factory. The explosion took place during the lunch break in the afternoon. Therefore, the attendance of the workers was less. He said that it is suspected that the explosion was caused by an electrical short circuit.

Not a chemical reactor

Achutapuram is located in the Special Economic Zone. Initially, media reports said that the incident was caused by an explosion in a chemical reactor blast in the plant. The collector denied this.

About Asientia Advanced Sciences

Additional SP (Anakapalli) Deva Prasad said, ‘The injured are being treated in the hospital. The situation at the spot is peaceful.’ Asientia Advanced Sciences, which manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), started production in April 2019 with an investment of Rs 200 crore. It is located on a 40-acre campus in the Achutapuram cluster in the multi-product special economic zone (SEZ) of Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).

Earlier blasts
This is not the first time that blasts have occurred in the area. Just last month, an employee was killed and two others were injured after a reactor explosion at a chemical factory in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. The incident took place at Vasant Chemicals which manufactures specialty chemicals used as intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry. The factory is also located in the special economic zone of Achutapuram in Rambilli block. In June 2023, six people were killed after a reactor explosion at Sahitya Pharma, a pharmaceutical industry located in the same Achutapuram SEZ in Andhra Pradesh.