3 things that led to the Atchutapuram SEZ fire accident

A preliminary investigation by the factories department has revealed that the blast at the Escientia Advanced Sciences factory in the Atchutapuram SEZ, Anakapalle, which occurred on 21 August 2024, was caused by the leakage of a highly flammable solvent that escaped through a pipeline and ignited. This was disclosed by D Chandrasekhara Varma, Director of Factories, who conducted an initial inquiry into the incident and submitted a report to authorities ahead of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to the site on Thursday.

In response to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a high-level investigation on the matter. Here are 3 things we know that led to the Atchutapuram SEZ Fire accident

1. The probe indicated that the solvent, Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE), commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry, leaked during its transfer from a reactor to a storage tank via a pipeline.
2. The solvent, Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether, is one that quickly turns into vapour if it mixes with the air and goes up in the form of fumes or clouds. A small spark can lead to the vapourised solvent catching fire. called a vapour cloud explosion. The leaked vapour solvent, thus, caught fire. Consequently, the flames seemingly spread to the reactor and caused an explosion.
3. Safety alarms failed to detect the leakage of the solvent and the vapour clouds, according to a report by a senior official in The Hindustan Times.

Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and underscored the urgent need for safety audits in industrial settings to prevent similar accidents. Speaking to the media at his camp office in Mangalagiri, he called the incident a tragic reminder of the rising number of industrial accidents and stressed the importance of conducting safety audits to protect workers’ well-being.

Meanwhile, State Minister Kollu Ravindra assured that the government would provide full support to the families of the deceased and injured and stated that a case has been filed against the company’s management. He also mentioned that the company would be required to compensate the victims.

Following the blast at 2:15 PM at Escientia Advanced Science Pvt Ltd in Atchutapuram, severely injured workers with extensive burns were rushed to hospitals in ambulances.

Anakapalli district Collector Vijaya Krishnan stated that the death toll remains at 17.

Chandrababu Naidu, who visited the injured workers in the hospital, announced compensation of Rs 50 lakh for those critically injured and Rs 25 lakh for other injured persons. I

The bodies of 12 victims were taken to KGH for autopsies, while the remaining five were transferred to a government hospital in Anakapalli. All 35 injured workers are currently receiving treatment in various government and private hospitals, with 18 admitted to Usha Prime Hospital in Anakapalle, seven at Medicover Hospital in Visakhapatnam, and the rest in private hospitals in Atchutapuram.

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