more fatalities at a dr reddy's plant

Is ACL's partner accident prone? Worrying.

From The Financial Express (India), 20 Mar 2011:

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/fire-in-dr-reddys-lab-claims-2-lives/764838/0

"Hyderabad: Two labourers were burnt to death in a fire at one of the Dr Reddy?s Laboratories (DRL) plant near Hyderabad. The fire broke out in a lift in the unit-II of the plant at Bollarum plant, about 30 kms from Hyderabad in neighbouring Medak district, according to police officials.

The deceased, K Govind Rao, aged 34 of Srikakulam district and D Keshava, aged 24 of Vizianagaram district, were working as casual labourers, police officials said. This is the second fire incident at the pharma major?s plant in the past three months. Two DRL employees were killed in the first mishap December 2010.

In its statement, Dr Reddys? said the incidence of fire happened in the material-handling lift area at G-Block in its chemical manufacturing facility at Bollarum. ?The exact cause of the ignition is yet to be ascertained as an immediate shutdown of the G-Block was carried out for safety reasons. The fire was contained within the hoist area and was subsequently put out by the plant personnel,? a DRL spokesperson said.

The fire seems to have possibly happened when both the contract workers were moving material. ?We are awaiting a thorough check and investigation into the matter and will advise on further details later in the day,? the spokesperson informed. Police have registered a case against the DRL management and were further investigating the matter, the officer added.

Earlier in December, a suspected nitrogen gas leak had claimed the lives of two workers in one of its manufacturing facility which was an USFDA-inspected unit of the company. A case under Section 304 (negligence leading to death) of Criminal Procedure Code has been registered against the management of Dr Reddy?s laboratory. Later, some workers of DRL protested outside the office demanding demanding better work facilities. Similarly, in the year 2006, there was a fire in DRL?s Pydibheemavaram plant, near Visakhapatnam plant, though no casualities were reported."