VISAKHAPATNAM: In yet another mishap reported in Atchyutapuram pharma SEZ in Anakapalle district, a reactor blast at a pharma unit claimed at least one life and injured three others on Tuesday. Even as the blast triggered fire, desperate scenes emerged with huge columns of smoke billowing out from the factory, creating panic in the vicinity. Workers ran out of the factory to save their lives.
Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Inspector of Factories V Suresh Babu said that the blast took place due to generation of static energy in the pipeline carrying ethanol in block three of GMFC labs premises round 10.30 am as per preliminary information.
“ It took one and a half hour to douse the fire. We will investigate further to ascertain the root cause of the fire,” Suresh Babu said. The deceased was identified as 27-year-old Ch Rama Rao of Eluppi village in Sitanagaram mandal in Manyam district. Three others injured were admitted to private hospital in Anakapalle. According to Parawada DSP Srinivasa Rao, no more workers were injured except the four.
GMFC Labs, which was set up in 2005, produced intermediary drugs in bulk. It may be recalled that at least four persons died and one suffered serious burns when fire broke out in the reactor following toulene, highly inflammable liquid, leak in the pipeline in the basement of Laurus Labs in the Pharma city on December 27.
Workers demand safety
Workers led by CITU staged a protest at GMFC Labs expressing concern over the safety of workers. Union leaders R Ramu and K Somanaidu said there was loud noise before the twin blasts that occurred at the lab. They alleged that the authorities were not inspecting the safety parameters of the factories. They demanded thorough investigation into the accident and acion against those responsible.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Forum Visakhapatnam district president P Raghu said industrial mishaps were occurring frequently in pharma units in the combined district of Visakhapatnam.
He said there were no proper medical facilities where the accidents are occurring. He demanded stringent action against those responsible for accident at GMFC labs and that production should be stopped till the probe was over.