On 21 August 2024, a fire broke out at Escientia Advanced Sciences' manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh, following an explosion caused by a chemical solvent leak. At least 17 workers are reported to have been killed in the blast, with dozens more injured. A police investigation was launched, after a local government official alleged that the incident could have been caused by a lack of safety precautions. Around 400 workers are employed at the plant, which produces intermediate chemicals and active ingredients for export to the US and other Western countries.

Workers had been trying to plug a chemical leak when an explosion ripped through the unit, Srinivasa Rao Korada, chief financial officer of the Escientia Group, said.

"Workers had noticed that leak, they were attending to it, and had almost plugged the leak when this happened," he said, adding it was not clear what triggered the leak.

The company is collaborating with authorities on the investigation into the reason for the leak. Officials said they were scanning closed-circuit television footage and questioning the injured to decide if human error was responsible.