The death toll from the devastating explosion at a pharmaceutical plant in Telangana’s Sangareddy district on June 30 has climbed to 35, as rescue teams continue to clear debris from the site.
Sangareddy District Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj confirmed on Tuesday that 31 bodies had been recovered from the rubble of the Sigachi Industries plant in Pashamylaram, while four others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. “Several bodies were found during debris removal. The final phase of rescue operations is still underway to trace the 17 people still missing,” he told PTI.
Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy, accompanied by members of his cabinet, visited the blast site on Tuesday, July 1. Health Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha confirmed the visit and said the state government had mobilized all available resources for the rescue and relief operations.
The explosion, suspected to have resulted from a chemical reaction inside a reactor, occurred between 8:15 am and 9:35 am on June 30. The force of the blast levelled the industrial shed, hurled workers several feet, and ignited a massive fire that prompted a large-scale emergency response.
Pranaam Hospitals in Miyapur received 21 injured workers, most suffering from burns and head injuries. Two were declared dead on arrival, and one more died the following morning. Dhruva Hospitals in Patancheru admitted 11 victims, two of whom were transferred to superspecialty hospitals. Of the remaining nine, five are on ventilators, with seven suffering 40–80 per cent burns.
A revenue department official reported that only nine victims have been identified so far. DNA testing will be required to confirm the identities of the others. Most of the deceased are believed to be migrant workers from Odisha, West Bengal, and Bihar.
The rescue and firefighting efforts involved personnel from the NDRF, SDF, local fire departments, and police. Two fire-fighting robots were deployed to aid operations in the hazardous environment.
Sigachi Industries Limited has temporarily shut down operations at its Sangareddy facility for 90 days due to the extensive damage. According to the company’s website, it manufactures Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), intermediates, excipients, and provides operations and management services.
The Telangana government has formed a five-member committee to investigate the cause of the explosion and suggest safety reforms. PM Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced ex-gratia payments for the victims’ families.
This incident has reignited concerns over lax industrial safety in the Sangareddy-Pashamylaram industrial corridor, an area that has witnessed multiple fatal accidents in recent years.
