Chemist killed in reactor blast at Yadadri-Bhongir unit
HYDERABAD: A 39-year-old chemist was killed in a reactor explosion at a chemical manufacturing unit in Donthigudem village of Pochampally mandal on Friday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Dhara Praveen, a native of Gattu Singaram in Kusumanchi mandal of Khammam district. He had been working at V.J. Sai Chemical Company for the past eight months. He is survived by his wife and a son.
According to police, the incident occurred around 14.20 IST when Praveen was filling solvent into a reactor in D-Block of the unit. The reactor reportedly exploded following a chemical reaction, and he was charred to death on the spot. The blast was captured on the company’s CCTV cameras.
Praveen was scheduled to end his shift at 14.00 IST but continued working as his reliever had not arrived. Another employee, Krishna Swamy, who was present in the same block, ran out immediately after the explosion and escaped unhurt.
Following the blast, the block caught fire and thick smoke billowed from the premises, triggering panic in nearby villages. Two fire engines from Pochampally and Choutuppal reached the spot and brought the fire under control.
Choutuppal Assistant Commissioner of Police Madhusudan Reddy said the Clues team had collected samples from the site. “The exact cause of the explosion will be known after examination,” he said, adding that action would be taken against the management if any lapses in safety measures were found.
Choutuppal Revenue Divisional Officer Shekar Reddy inspected the unit and inquired with the management about the incident. He instructed the company to adhere to safety norms as per law.
