NEW DELHI: At least 4 people were

killed

and another 17 were injured after a fire broke out at a pharmaceutical unit in

Andhra Pradesh

‘s Anakapalle district.
Anakapalli district collector Vijaya Krishnan said the accident occurred around 2pm at Escientia pharma plant, which is located in the Achutapuram

Special Economic Zone

.
“We lost four employees.

The incident happened not because of a reactor blast,” Krishnan said. Initially, media reports had suggested that an explosion had occurred in a chemical reactor.
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.

The injured have been shifted to the NTR Hospital for treatment.
Additional SP (Anakapalle) Deva Prasad said: “Treatment of the injured is going on in the hospital. The situation at the spot is peaceful.”

Not the first time

Just last month, a worker was killed and two others sustained injuries following a

reactor explosion

at a

chemical factory

in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district.
The incident took place at

Vasant Chemicals

which manufactures speciality chemicals used as intermediaries in the pharmaceutical industry. The factory is also located in the special economic zone of Atchutapuram of Rambilli block.
In June 2023, six people were killed after a reactor explosion at Sahiti Pharma, a pharmaceutical industry in the same Atchutapuram

SEZ

of Andhra Pradesh.