From Anaj Mandi to Vizag gas leak, industrial accidents that shook India

India has seen some horrible accidents in the past killing scores of people

Industrial accidents can happen at any time at any place without giving any time to react. The world and India have seen many incidents that claimed several lives. Bhopal gas tragedy and the Chernobyl disaster is not unknown to anyone. On Thursday, people of Vishakhapatnam became a victim of one such incident. Here is a list of some major industrial accidents in the last 10 years in India.

LG Polymers, Visakhapatnam (7 dead and counting)

Visakhapatnam on Thursday woke up to a gas leak at Korean company LG Polymers. Styrene gas leaked from the plant which left at least seven persons dead and 1,000 others sick. Over 3,000 people were evacuated to safety as the leak spread. The gas caused breathlessness and a burning sensation in the eyes. People started vomiting and fell unconscious. 

Delhi factory fire (43 dead)

A huge fire broke out in a factory at the Anaj Mandi area in New Delhi killing 43 people and injuring 60. The building in which the factory was operating was located in a very cramped up area. The entry points were too narrow and the fire brigade had too much trouble in getting near to the spot. The fire was caused by a short circuit. Most of the deceased were the workers who are asleep in the building. As many as 35 fire engines along with 150 firemen rushed to the spot to deal with the blaze. The factory did not have the necessary fire safety measures in place. The injured were rushed to various hospitals. 

NTPC Power Plant Explosion (40 dead)

On November 1, 2017 an explosion at the 500-megwatt unit of the Feroze Gandhi Unchahar coal-fired power plant in Unchahar, Uttar Pradesh exploded, killing over 40 people. This plant was owned and operated by the NTPC power plant. The explosion took place in the boiler of the plant. The boiler pipe burst in the 500Mw plant and ignited a huge fire. The explosion set off a lot of dust in the air, making the rescue work very difficult. At the time of the explosion, there were around 200 people on the shift.  Over 100 people were injured in the incident. The central and state governments announced compensation for the dead and injured. 

Sivakasi firecracker factory (40 dead)

Considered the firecracker capital of India, Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu is home to many such factories. An explosion caused by chemical reactions between ingredients used in the manufacture of crackers in Om Sakthi Fireworks factory led to the death of 40 people, most of whom were workers in the factory. Many villagers who rushed to the spot after the initial explosions were also caught in subsequent flare-ups. A probe into the mishap found several people guilty of negligence, including the owners of the factory where the tragedy occurred.

Indian Oil Corporation Jaipur (12 dead)

A huge tank with a capacity of 8,000 kilolitres of petrol at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) depot in Jaipur caught fire on the evening of October 29, 2009. The number of deaths was pegged at 12 with hundreds of others were injured. Thousands of people were evacuated after petrol fumes made breathing difficult. It was only after 11 days that the raging fire, which had spread to adjacent fuel tanks as well and was causing loud explosions, was brought under control.