Death toll rises to 17 in blast at Indian pharmaceutical factory

22/8/2024 13:26

        India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh wrapped up rescue efforts on Thursday at a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant where an explosion the previous day killed 17 people and injured nearly 40, a senior state official said.
        
        The state's worst such incident in recent years, Wednesday's blast took place at the 40-acre (16-hectare) unit of privately held Escientia Advanced Sciences in the Anakapalli district.
        
        Nearly 40 people were injured and rescue operations had been completed, the official, Industries Secretary N. Yuvaraj, told Reuters.
        
        Escientia did not immediately respond to a request for comment but government officials said they suspected an explosion in the chemical reactor.
        
        Officials said they were scanning closed-circuit television footage and questioning the injured to decide if human error was responsible for the blast.