Death toll rises to 17 in reactor blast in India

Anakapalli (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 22 - The death toll rose to 17 on Thursday after a reactor blast in a pharma company in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Atchutapuram in Andhra Pradesh's Anakapalli. 

Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan confirmed the deaths on Thursday. 

The incident happened after a 500-kilo-litre capacitor reactor exploded at a pharma company with around 200 workers still working at the time. 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. The Chief Minister is expected to visit the family of the deceased and injured on Thursday. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences and said that he was "pained" by the loss of lives in the mishap. The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, as per the PMO. 

"Pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap at a factory in Anakapalle. Condolences to those who lost their near and dear ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000," PMO mentioned in a post on X. 

-ANI