Telangana Chemical Factory Blast: The death toll in the Sigachi Pharma Industries explosion in Sangareddy has risen to 34, said Paritosh Pankaj, Sangareddy Superintendent of Police. Rescue teams have now pulled out more bodies from beneath the debris. The tragedy unfolded at Sigachi Industries in Pashamylaram when a reactor purportedly exploded on Monday morning. The explosion resulted in a massive fire.
The initial death count stood at 12, but with ongoing search efforts, officials confirmed the grim update. “So far, 31 bodies have been recovered from the debris, and three others succumbed to injuries in the hospital,” said Paritosh Pankaj. He added that the final phase of the rescue operation was still underway.
According to State Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, nearly 90 workers were on duty at the time of the explosion. “The industrial shed was completely blown apart. The impact was so severe that some workers were thrown over 100 metres,” he said, echoing accounts shared by survivors.
The sheer scale of the blast sent shockwaves through the area. In the hours that followed, firefighters, NDRF personnel, and HYDRAA emergency teams battled flames and navigated through twisted metal and rubble to search for survivors.
While the exact cause of the explosion remains unconfirmed, early indications suggest a chemical reaction inside the reactor may have triggered the catastrophe. Officials are still investigating the incident.
Rs 2 Lakh Compensation For Victims’ Families
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is expected to visit the accident site on Tuesday to assess the situation firsthand and meet with the affected families. His visit comes amid growing concerns over industrial safety practices and worker protections in the region.
Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He extended condolences to the families of those killed and wished a swift recovery to the injured. The Governor also contacted Labour and Factories Principal Secretary M. Dan Kishore, directing that all possible assistance be provided to the victims and their families.
PM Narendra Modi announced a compensation amount of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.
