New Delhi, April 14 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed deep grief over the loss of lives due to a mishap at a chemical unit in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. He also prayed for quick recovery of the injured. "Pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap at a chemical unit in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting PM Modi. Six people were killed and 12 others injured in a huge fire and reactor blast at a chemical factory in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru district. The disaster occurred at Porus Laboratories plant in Akkireddygudem village of Musunuru mandal late Wednesday, officials said. Five persons died on the spot, while another succumbed at a hospital. Four of the deceased hailed from Bihar. The injured were shifted to Government General Hospital in Vijayawada, where the condition of five of them is stated to be critical. Fire fighting personnel with the help of NDRF battled for nearly three hours to control the fire which broke out in unit-4 of the plant after a suspected gas leak. More than 100 people were working in the plant at the time of the mishap and they ran out in panic after hearing the loud explosion. The plant manufactures pharmaceutical intermediates. Some of the survivors alleged that the negligence by the company led to the tragedy. /IANS