District Superintendent of Police M. Deepika confirmed that the death toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue. The fire broke out during lunchtime, with initial reports suggesting a possible explosion at a chemical reactor.
District Collector Vijaya Krishnan stated that the injured have been transported to nearby hospitals. Escientia Advanced Sciences has yet to comment on the incident. The state government has launched an inquiry into the cause of the explosion.
This incident follows a similar fire last year at Sahithi Pharma's facility in Anakapalli, which resulted in two deaths and five injuries.