Boiler Explosion at Medchal Pharma Unit Critically Injures Worker
The victim, identified as Srinivas, was on duty at the time of the incident.
Hyderabad: A 53-year-old worker was seriously injured after a boiler exploded at a botanical extracts manufacturing unit in Medchal on Tuesday morning. According to inspector A. Satyanarayana, the injured, Srinivasa Reddy, a resident of Jeedimetla, has been working in Alkaloids Bioactive Pvt Ltd for the past ten years.
The incident occurred around 10 am. Srinivasa was the only one around the machine at the time of explosion. Police said overheating and excessive pressure led to the boiler’s lid exploding, which resulted in the hot water and steam gushing onto the victim.
Hearing the loud bang, workers outside rushed in, shifted Srinivasa to a private hospital and informed Medchal Police.
Addressing the media, Rajanna, a factory worker, said, “When we rushed towards him, we found Srinivasa’s both legs fractured, blood coming out from his navel. His hands and face had turned black.”
Workers further said the impact of the explosion caused the doors of the room to fall and the asbestos sheets to break. “The company might be having safety measures, but there are no safety measures for the workers working in it. We do not have any health or insurance cards either in case of mishaps,” Rajanna said.
Medchal inspector said a case has been registered against the company for negligence. They said no protective gear was provided to the workers in the unit. This apart, the pressure levels of the boiler were not managed properly. “We need to check what the pressure level was at the time of the incident. We are collaborating with the fire department to investigate the matter.”
The company deals with the manufacturing of herbal and alkaline products. Further investigation into the incident is underway.
