2 killed, 9 injured in reactor blast at pharma unit near Hyd | Hyderabad News

2 killed, 9 injured in reactor blast at pharma unit near Hyd

Hyderabad: Two workers were killed and nine others injured after a reactor explosion triggered a major fire at a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district late on Friday night. Police registered a case against the company and launched an investigation into possible safety lapses.The incident occurred at Hazelo Lab, an active pharma ingredients and bulk drug intermediates manufacturing unit at Dothigudem village in Pochampally mandal. The deceased were identified as Chennu Nagi Reddy (31), from Chinnagudem village in Nalgonda district, and Naganaboina Naresh Kumar (29), from Choudaram in Khammam district. Some of the injured workers belong to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.According to Pochampally sub-inspector J Jagan, the reactor exploded at 10.27 pm during the night shift when 12 workers were on duty inside the facility. The blast was followed by a fire, leaving several workers trapped and injured. The one-storeyed pharmaceutical facility is located about 50 km from Hyderabad.“A Dial 100 call alerted the fire services, following which fire tenders from Choutuppal, Bhongir and Hayathnagar fire stations were rushed to the unit. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours and completed rescue and firefighting operations in the early hours of Saturday. The last fire services vehicle left the premises at around 4 am,” Jagan said.Investigators are examining the circumstances that led to the reactor explosion and whether the unit had adhered to mandatory safety protocols.Nine injured workers were rescued and shifted to private hospitals for treatment. Five were admitted to one hospital and four to another.Those shifted to the first hospital were Ranabothu Rajashekar Reddy of Madavaram in Suryapet district; Sri Hari Meda of Tiruvuru mandal of NTR district (AP); Chennareddy Shiva Kumar Reddy of Chatrinaka in Hyderabad; Marella Yohan of Krosuru in Guntur district (AP); and Vedula Chenna Keshavulu of Venkatapuram in Khammam district. Rajashekar and Keshavulu were stated to be in critical condition.Those shifted to the second private hospital were Yesudas Kambampati of Achampet of Nagarkurnool district; D Shiva Shankar of Chityala in Nalgonda district; Saketi Ganesh of Nookalavada in Vizianagaram (AP); and Pentyala Ravi of Choutuppal in Bhuvanagiri district.The explosion triggered panic in Dothigudem, with residents rushing out of their homes after hearing a loud blast. Thick smoke and fumes billowed from the unit and spread across the surrounding area. Senior police and fire officials reached the spot and supervised rescue operations.Police registered a case against the management of the pharmaceutical company under sections 106(1), 125(A), 287, 288 and 289 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.