At least 15 people have died in an explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in India, the police reported on Thursday. An additional 30 to 40 people have suffered acid burns from chemicals, some of them severe.
The violent explosion, which was followed by a fire, occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Anakapalle in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is still unclear what caused the incident, which will now be investigated by local authorities.
Around 380 people work at the affected factory in two different shifts, but many are believed to have escaped the explosion since they were on lunch break when it occurred.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi writes in a social media post that he mourns the victims and that the families of those who died in the accident will be compensated.
