HYDERABAD: Two workers died and four more injured in a reactor explosion at Jeevika Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, a chemical factory, on Monday afternoon at IDA Jeedimetla in Hyderabad. The injured have been shifted to the hospital.
The deceased are Anwar, 21 and Ambarish, 23, both migrant labourers from Rohtas district in Bihar. The blast took place at 2 pm. Six persons were reportedly working in the factory when the incident occurred. Ambarish was working close to the reactor at the time of the explosion.
Hazardous chemical fell on him after the blast. His colleagues shifted him to a hospital, but he succumbed to burn injuries. Due to the impact of the blast, the roof of the building collapsed and Anwar was trapped underneath the debris. Officials from Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services removed his body from the debris.
The blast triggered panic as the sound of the blast was heard up to a two kilometre radius from the factory. Locals complained of burning eyes and suffocation due to toxic fumes that lingered in the air for a considerable time. Two fire tenders rushed to the spot upon receipt of a distress call. Speaking to Express, Jeedimetla station fire officer Subash Reddy said, “No fire took place following the blast. But, it was smog which created panic amongst the locals, and became a hindrance to rescue operations.”
The reactors were loaded with Thionyl Chloride, which has an unpleasant acrid odour. Extreme pressure build-up inside the reactor led to the explosion. Several migrant labourers staged a protest with the dead bodies in front of the factory and were pulled back when the police assured them that the victim’s families will get compensation.