Three people were killed in an explosion in a drug manufacturing unit at Gouripatnam in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The mishap occurred in Vision Drugs Private Limited situated at Gouripatnam when the staff members were attending to a technical problem, police sources said. The deceased were identified as Y Ratnababu, VV Satyanarayana and D Mahider, The New Indian Express reported.
It was prima facie established that management lapses caused the explosion. Further investigation into the case is on. "There was a technical problem in a pipeline where water and chemicals are recycled. The deputy manager, shift in-charge and the chemist were at work when the pipeline exploded due to pressure caused by high temperature," a police official involved with the investigation said.
The impact of the explosion was so high that shattered glass pieces and tin sheets flew and pierced the trio. Other workers in the unit rushed the three to a hospital in Kovvuru but by then they succumbed. Home Minister T Vanitha visited the hospital and enquired from officials about the mishap. District Collector K Madhavi Latha announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 20 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.
Earlier in April, six workers were killed when a reactor in a chemical factory exploded in Eluru district. The incident occurred at a unit of Porus Laboratories at Akkireddigudem village. Police booked the management of the factory for culpable homicide not amounting to murder among other charges.