Fires at 2 Indian plants kill many

Fires broke out at two pharmaceutical chemical companies just days apart in southern India, killing more than 20 workers.

On Aug. 21, an explosion resulted in a fire at Escientia Advanced Sciences’ plant in the Anakapalle district of Andhra Pradesh state, an area known as a pharmaceutical hub. The blaze killed 18 workers and injured over 30 others. The 5-year-old company manufactures intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

According to Indian media outlets, the blast occurred during the lunch break, which prevented more people from getting injured or killed. But the vapor cloud caused by the explosion made it difficult for fire officials to rescue those trapped inside. The Press Trust of India news agency reported scenes of workers with peeling skin being rushed to the hospital.

Government officials told local news outlets that the company had 381 employees working two shifts. While an investigation is ongoing to identify the cause of the fire, officials suspect it was caused by faulty electrical equipment at the plant, according to media reports.

On Aug. 23, not far from Escientia, a flash fire at Synergene Active Ingredients was reported to have killed three workers and injured another. Local news outlets say the fire started during production of the blood pressure medicine losartan potassium.

Deepak Monga, a fire safety and evacuation expert based in Mumbai, India, says the incidents are a reminder of how safety is often overlooked at high-risk chemical plants in India.

“It was shocking to see that in the case of Escientia’s pharmaceutical plant explosion, the workers weren’t wearing personal protective equipment,” Monga says. He contends that companies cut corners and don’t invest in adequate fire safety protection and equipment, even though laws mandate it.

“It feels like these companies don’t value human life,” he says.