A blast at a pharmaceutical factory in India has claimed at least 17 lives, with chemicals causing severe burns to several of the 30 others injured, according to police reports on Thursday, August 22.
Hindu newspapers have reported that the explosion was so powerful it scattered severed body parts across the site. The fire erupted on Wednesday afternoon, August 21, at a pharmaceutical facility in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh.
District police superintendent M. Deepika informed AFP that all individuals had been rescued and no one was trapped inside the building. “There are 17 dead and 34 injured,” she said.
Investigators suspect a gas leak was responsible for the explosion. Local police official M. Buchanan described the scene as horrific, with survivors suffering from severe chemical burns. “It was heartbreaking,” he told the Indian Express, recounting the distressing scene of people screaming in agony before losing consciousness.
The exact cause of the explosion is still unknown. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow over the tragedy and announced a compensation of $2,380 for the families of the deceased.
