Six workers lost their lives and 13 others are injured in a fire accident at Porus chemical factory in Akkireddigudem near Eluru in Andhra Pradesh.
According to district officials, the fire broke out on Wednesday night following a blast in one of the reactors. While five workers burnt to death, one succumbed while being treated. The injured have been shifted to a hospital in Vijayawada. The exact cause of the mishap is being investigated, according to officials.
The Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Governor Sri Biswabhusan Harichandan have expressed anguish over the accident. The State government has announced an ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh to the families of each of the deceased, ₹5 lakh and ₹2 lakh for the severely injured respectively.