8 injured in reactor blast at Vegnesha Pharma unit in Vizag

The chemical reactors exploded at about 9 am on Monday due to high pressure

Around eight employees sustained minor injuries after chemical reactors exploded in a bulk drug unit of Vegnesha Pharma at Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City, Parawada, in Visakhapatnam district.

The reactors exploded at about 9 am on Monday due to high pressure. As a result, sheds collapsed and factory equipment was also damaged. The injured employees have been shifted to a local hospital for treatment. Last week, a serious blast occurred at Glochem's unit in the pharma city, leaving some of the employees with minor injuries.

When contacted, Inspector of Factories officials confirmed the incident took place due to negligence.

“With the series of fire accidents and blasts, the government has insisted that all the units install safety equipment. Hence, we have invested around Rs 50 lakh each,” Nagaraju, chief executive officer, Parawada Pharma Unit Manufacturers Association, told Business Standard.

He requested the state government to set up a committee consisting of manufacturers, Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) officials and an external safety management organisation for regular monitoring and implementation of safety measures at all the units in the Parawada non-SEZ pharma area.