Naidu Confirms Vapour Cloud Explosion Caused Atchutapuram Pharma Fire
ATCHUTAPURAM: The explosion at a pharmaceutical plant in Achutapuram on Wednesday was caused by a fluid leak and the company’s failure to implement safety protocols. This was confirmed by chief minister Chandrababu Naidu following an investigation by state agencies in the immediate aftermath of the explosion. The mishap resulted in 17 deaths and injuries to 36 persons.
Initial reports had suggested a reactor explosion, but an investigation confirmed that the blast was caused by a leak of Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE), a flammable solvent during a transfer process. Among the injured, seven were in serious conditions. The explosion caused extensive damage to the facility, including the collapse of the building walls and the roof, and scattering of body parts across the site.
Several of the 36 injured have severe burns, and there were those having fractures and head trauma.
The deceased workers' bodies were transported to King George Hospital (KGH) and NTR Hospital for post-mortem. In the early hours of Thursday, grieving family members staged protests at the accident site and hospitals, demanding justice for them and action against the company's management.
The protests subsided after Telugu Desam president Palla Srinivas Rao and the district collector announced that the compensation would be distributed by the evening on Thursday. By 8pm, eight bodies were released to the families after post-mortem.
Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, who visited hospitals and talked to the victims and family members, criticised the SEZ unit’s management for their absence at the site. He emphasized the need for strict adherence to safety protocols in industrial operations.
He said the mishap could have been avoided had the company followed the standard operating procedures (SOPs). The government has initiated legal action against the company, citing negligence, and an FIR was filed on Thursday under various sections of the law.