Hyderabad witnessed another tragic incident at one of its pharmaceutical companies, highlighting safety concerns within the industry. A chemical reactor explosion at Arora Pharma Company, located in the Jeedimetla Industrial Estate, resulted in the death of one worker and left three others severely injured on Wednesday.
The unfortunate victim, identified as Anil, 42, succumbed to his injuries after he and his colleagues were involved in cleaning the reactor. The explosion reportedly occurred during routine maintenance work, sparking immediate chaos and concern among the employees and nearby residents.
Authorities revealed the incident took place during efforts to repair the reactor, which was part of their regular maintenance checks. Anil was pronounced dead at the hospital where the injured were rushed following the blast. Unfortunately, one of the injured workers, Gopi, 25, along with Srinivas, 25, and Balram, 30, are currently receiving treatment, with Gopi and Srinivas reported to be critically injured.
According to the officials from the Suraram police station, once alerted, they arrived on the scene to assess the damage and initiate investigations. A case has been officially registered, and inquiries are being conducted to determine the exact cause of the explosion. There are concerns over whether appropriate safety protocols were followed prior to the incident, as many workers have previously expressed worries about working conditions within the facility.
Family members of the deceased expressed their outrage at the management, claiming they were not informed of the accident until much later. Protests erupted outside the facility, with relatives demanding accountability from the company's leadership and more transparency about safety measures implemented at the plant.
There is also significant community unrest due to the management's handling of communication following the blast. Fire Department Inspector Shekhar Reddy indicated the emergency services were delayed, noting they were prompted to respond after learning of the incident from media contacts rather than company representatives.
This incident follows a worrying trend of accidents within the pharmaceutical sector, which has seen multiple reactor blasts and related injuries across several companies. Just last year, there was another major incident at Arora Pharma, where two workers lost their lives due to negligence surrounding the use of flammable solvents.
The recent uptick of hazardous incidents has raised alarms over safety regulations not only at Arora but throughout the pharmaceutical industry within Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. At least 17 workers have been reported killed and many others injured from similar incidents, raising questions about adherence to safety standards and the measures taken to protect employees.
The pressure is mounting as various agencies begin to investigate the underlying issues contributing to these workplace hazards. Officials are focusing on creating safer work environments to prevent future tragedies, but many question whether sufficient action has been taken up to this point.
For now, those affected, including families of the victims, are left with the painful reality of the tragedy, advocating for justice and more stringent safety protocols for all workers in the industry.
