Leak ignored during lunch break led to deadly Andhra explosion claiming 17 lives

A state government report has disclosed that the fatal explosion at an industrial unit in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh, on August 21, which resulted in 17 deaths, might have been avoided if the methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) leak had been addressed promptly, reported TOI.

According to the report, Escientia's production team detected a strong MTBE odor around 1 pm, over an hour before the explosion. The team found that MTBE was leaking from a transfer line and dripping through a slit onto the Motor Control Centre (MCC) panel on the ground floor. Despite recognizing the danger, the leak was not attended to immediately due to the lunch break.

The plant was equipped with air handling units (AHUs) that circulated air throughout the building, including into office areas, quality control labs, and storage rooms. As a result, MTBE vapors from the leak spread through these ducts, said TOI.


By the time efforts to manage the leak began around 2:30 pm, the concentration of MTBE vapors had reached explosive levels. The MCC panel room exploded first, causing significant structural damage, followed by multiple explosions in the AHUs and connected rooms. The intensity of the blasts was such that some victims' body parts were found in nearby trees, and many were left unrecognizable due to severe burns and mutilation.

The findings have been submitted to the Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories in Visakhapatnam for further investigation, according to TOI.