15.07.2017.

Minister Vulin visits injured workers from Lučani

Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, accompanied by Assistant Minister of Material Resources Nenad Miloradović and Acting Head of the Military Medical Academy Colonel Prof. Dr. Miroslav Vukosavljević, have visited workers who were injured during the fire of technological waste in the factory "Milan Blagojević-namenska" in Lučani, at the Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy at the Military Medical Academy, today.

The injured were M.M. (1991) and M.I. (1962).

According to the anaesthesiologist on-call, Major Dr. Nebojsa Damnjanović, the injured workers were received at the MMA in the morning, in a very unstable state.

- We hospitalized two workers with burns in a very unstable state and life-threatening condition. Both were intubated on the respirator. All cardiopulmonary resuscitation measures, cardiovascular system support, respiratory support, diuretic support are included. We are trying to stabilize them, but as I have already said, both of them are in a life-threatening situation, Major Damnjanović said.

According to Minister Vulin, the injured workers have the best possible medical care and "we will do our best to heal their injuries".

- What medicine can do, will be done. The Ministry of Defence, in cooperation with the factory management, of course, using all legal powers, will check what actually happened, act in accordance with legal procedures, and always continue to work in accordance with the need to increase and preserve safety and security at work, as far as possible. There is no higher priority for us, but to preserve human lives, that is, to preserve the health of all employees in the defence industry of Serbia, and when such incidents happen, then we have to be all together and we all have to react. I am, of course, with the families of the injured workers and I wish them a fast recovery. We will be here with their families and will do our best to help both children and wives. They need to know that the Ministry of Defence is there to look after them, the Minister of Defence said.

Assistant Minister Nenad Miloradović said that the incident occurred in front of the room for the disposal of technological waste, on the rocket fuel production line and added that this line has recently been automated.

- Fire extinguishers have reacted instantly and as reported, material damage is not large, and everything that happened on that line has automatically been put out. Unfortunately, two workers were in front of the line and were directly affected by the fire of that residual fuel. One of our priorities is to protect workers as much as possible because it is a very dangerous production. It is a substance that burns at temperatures over 2,000 degrees and causes such injuries. Always our priority has always been to prevent, as much as possible, such incidents and, as far as possible, to prevent the consequences, Miloradović pointed out.

The Acting Head of the Military Medical Academy said that this institution and its employees will do everything in their power, as a team, as they have always worked, to manage all these and similar conditions and make their patients best cared for.

- The condition of the patients is very difficult. We, unfortunately, have experience in treating such burns and we will do everything to save lives, and in this case, life-threatening injuries, we will do what is in our power. In our opinion, this kind of injuries, in one patient, 95 percent of the body is affected by burns, and in the other about 65 percent, are very severe conditions, but we are doing everything to stabilize their condition and come to the situation for further treatment to be taken by the Clinic for Plastic Surgery and Burns, Colonel Vukosavljević said.

The Minister of Defence formed a commission that will identify the causes of this accident with the factory's authorities.