17 Dead in Explosion at Indian Pharmaceutical Factory
Indian police announced on Thursday that an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory resulted in the death of at least 17 people and injured more than 30 others, most of whom suffered burns caused by chemicals.
According to The Hindu newspaper, the blast was so powerful that the bodies of several victims were scattered across the site.
The explosion occurred on Wednesday afternoon at a pharmaceutical factory in the Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh state, according to Agence France-Presse.
District Police Chief M. Deepika confirmed that no one was trapped inside the building and that rescue operations had concluded. He said, “There are 17 dead and 34 injured.”
He added that investigators believe the explosion was caused by a gas leak.
The Indian Express quoted local police official M. Buchayya, who said that the injured had suffered horrific chemical burns.
“It was horrifying and heartbreaking,” he said, describing the pain experienced by the wounded as they were being taken to ambulances.
He added, “They were screaming before losing consciousness.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his “grief over the loss of lives” in a social media post on Thursday and announced compensation of $2,380 for the family of each deceased victim.
