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3 workers killed, 2 injured in chemical leak at Karnataka pharma factory
Several workers were exposed to sulphur dioxide after a pipeline carrying the gas to a scrubber developed a leak, Pandve Rahul Tukaram, Deputy Commissioner, said.
Senior officials inspect the site of a chemical leak at the pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Karnataka’s Yadgir district.
Three workers were killed and two others were injured after a chemical leak at a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in the Kadechur-Badiala industrial area of Karnataka’s Yadgir district early on Wednesday.
The victims were in their early twenties: Vikram and Sanjay, both residents of Katni district in Madhya Pradesh, and Ganesh, a native of Mahabubnagar district in Telangana.
According to preliminary information, the incident occurred between 1 am and 2 am inside the factory. Five workers were rushed to the Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences, where doctors declared three of them brought dead.
The injured workers, identified as Hemanth and Shivakumar, are undergoing treatment. District authorities said one of them is in a critical condition.
“We inspected the factory and found that thionyl chloride was being used in a stainless steel reactor. During the process, sulphur dioxide gas is generated and is carried through a pipeline to the scrubber. The pipeline developed a leak, resulting in the workers inhaling the gas. Three people died due to the inhalation, while two others are undergoing treatment at RIMS Hospital,” Pandve Rahul Tukaram, Deputy Commissioner, said while speaking to the media.
Yadgir Superintendent of Police Pruthvik Shankar, along with senior police officials, visited the factory and inspected the site.
Company under police scanner
“We have spoken to the owner of the company and instructed them to implement all necessary safety measures. The company will now be under police investigation, and those concerned will have to appear before the police. We have also directed the management to provide details regarding the compensation process for the victims’ families,” Deputy Commissioner Tukaram added.
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A First Information Report has been registered at Saidapur police station against the company, its manager, and other officials.
A National Disaster Response Force team and a forensic team have been deployed to determine the exact cause of the incident, identify the sequence of events, and ascertain any technical lapses. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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