A blast in Hetero Drugs bulk drug manufacturing unit in Nakkapalli, near Visakhapatnam killed two employees and injured four. The accident occurred between 5 and 5.30 p.m. in one of the units. About half a dozen employees were operating the reactor when there was a build up of pressure. This led to the blast, said a top executive of the Hyderabad-based company.

The Nakkapalli plant, set up in 2007, manufactures bulk drugs. It has nearly 3,000 employees and also several casual workers taking part in three shift operations. This is the first incident in the factory, located about 100 km from Visakhapatnam. The injured have been rushed to a private hospital, he told Business Line. According to reports, immediately after the blast, fire engines rushed to the plant. The pharma major manufactures active pharmaceuticals and finished dosages. It has been proposing to expand the unit in Nakkapalli. The company has a pharma special economic zone in Jadcherla, Mahboobnagar, close to Hyderabad.

The company is a major supplier of anti-retrovirals, having won global contracts to supply to different countries. It also has the license from Roche to produce ‘Tamiflu’, the anti-influenza and swine flu treatment drug.

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