Three hurt in fire at Indian pharma plant
November 29th, 2011 // 1:40 pm @ jmpickett
A tense situation prevailed for some time on the premises of Aurobindo pharmaceutical unit at Pydibheemavaram in Ranasthalam mandal in the district when three workers of the plant were injured in a fire mishap that occurred inside the plant in the early hours of Monday.
On being informed, police, revenue, fire and media reached the spot, where the kin of the injured alleged that the mishap occurred due to improper safety norms taken by the unit.
Police rushed the injured to the Rajiv Institute of Medical and Sciences (RIMS) at Balaga in Srikakulam town at first, and shifted them to a corporate hospital in Visakhapatnam on RIMS doctors’ advice.
According to police reports, two helpers and a chemist received burns with 80 per cent of injuries when a drier of the plant caught fire in the G-block of the unit.
Sources including eyewitnesses of the plant said that the fire occurred when workers were engaged in the work of washing the drier.
Medical staff at the Seven Hills hospital at Vizag, where the injured were admitted, maintained that the chemist, Mr M. Veerraju received nearly 90 per cent burns, the helpers Mr K. Ramappadu and Mr Mohan Nayak nearly 75 per cent burns. The three belong to Vizianagaram district, and were working in the company for the last few years.
Speaking to this newspaper, the Srikakulam DSP, Mr L. Arjun, said that they registered a case, and were investigating it from various aspects. Officials from revenue, fire and the Pollution Control Board departments also visited the spot. The injured are undergoing treatment at the Vizag hospital.
The kin and some workers of the plant agitated on the plant premises for some time, demanding special care for the workers besides implementation of necessary fire safety norms to safeguard the welfare of hundreds of workers in the plant located on national highway 16 between Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam.
