Tragic Blast in Andhra Pradesh Factory Claims 15 Lives, 40 Injured; Safety Concerns Mount

A tragic reactor explosion at Essentia Advanced Sciences Pvt. Ltd., located in the Achyutapuram Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Anakapalle, Andhra Pradesh, resulted in the death of 15 people and left 40 others injured. The injured have been rushed to the NTR Hospital in Anakapalle and other local private hospitals for treatment.

The explosion occurred around 2:15 p.m. during the lunch break, which fortunately meant fewer employees were on-site. According to Anakapalle District Collector Vijay Krishnan, the plant operates with 381 employees working in two shifts. The initial investigation suggests that the explosion might be related to an electrical issue.

Emergency response teams, including six fire trucks, were immediately deployed to the scene. The rescue operation led to the evacuation of 13 people trapped inside the facility.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences over the loss of life and assured that the government would provide support to the families of the deceased workers.

Essentia Advanced Sciences Pvt. Ltd., which began operations in April 2019 with an investment of ₹200 crores, manufactures intermediates chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The factory is spread over 40 acres within the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation’s (APIIC) multi-product SEZ in Achyutapuram.

This incident comes after a similar accident in July, when an explosion at a cement factory in the NTR district of Andhra Pradesh injured 16 workers. The injured included employees from local regions as well as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. That explosion was caused by a boiler malfunction.

In 2023, a blast at the Sahiti Pharma company, also located in Achyutapuram, left seven people severely injured. The explosion occurred in the solvent recovery plant while solvent was being filled, with 35 employees present at the time. Most were able to evacuate safely.

The recurring industrial accidents in Andhra Pradesh have raised concerns about the safety protocols in factories across the state. Authorities have promised thorough investigations to prevent such incidents from happening again.