Synopsis: The death toll in the explosion at Sigachi Industries Ltd’s pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in near Hyderabad, has risen to 41. The blast occurred on June 30 and caused severe destruction, leaving 33 workers injured and nine still missing. Among the deceased are workers from Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. Out of 143 employees present at the time, 61 survived unscathed.
Sigachi Industries has pledged ₹1 crore compensation to each bereaved family and committed to covering medical costs for the injured. The Telangana government has initiated a detailed investigation through a high-level committee led by the Chief Secretary and a separate expert panel to identify the root causes of the explosion. Recovery operations continue.
Hyderabad, July 6: The death toll in the June 30 explosion at at Sigachi Industries Ltd’s facility in Pashamylaram, near Hyderabad has mounted to 41
The number of fatalities in the devastating fire and explosion at Sigachi Industries Ltd’s facility in Pashamylaram, near Hyderabad, has increased to 41 as of Sunday. So far, rescue teams have recovered 30 dismembered human remains from the site, which have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Hyderabad for DNA identification.
According to staff at the Patancheru Government Hospital, 24 DNA samples have been processed to date. Of these, 22 victims have been identified, and their remains have been returned to their families.
Out of the 143 employees present at the factory during the explosion, 61 managed to escape unharmed.
Meantime death toll increased to 41 after one of the critically injured workers, identified as Jitender, died while undergoing treatment at Dhruva Hospital in Patancheru. Another injured victim, Manmohan Singh from Bihar, had succumbed to his injuries at the same hospital on Saturday.
Authorities reported that nine workers remain unaccounted for, and rescue teams are continuing debris removal operations at the blast site.
The explosion, which took place on June 30 at Sigachi Industries’ manufacturing plant located in Patancheru Mandal of Sangareddy district, caused widespread destruction. The facility produces Microcrystalline Cellulose powder, a substance commonly used as a binding agent in pharmaceutical tablets and capsules.
The incident left 33 workers injured; 12 of them have been discharged from hospitals, while others are still under medical care at various facilities.
The deceased include individuals from Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. State authorities are transporting the bodies to their respective hometowns in ambulances, each accompanied by police personnel for escort.
Teams from the Fire Services, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), HYDRAA, and local police are continuing with recovery efforts. Officials affirmed that operations will persist until all human remains are found.
Sigachi Industries has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore for each deceased worker’s family. The company has also committed to covering all medical expenses for the injured and extending necessary support.
The Government of Telangana has ordered a thorough investigation, with the Chief Secretary leading a high-level committee tasked with reviewing the incident and identifying the root causes. This committee, which visited the explosion site on July 4, includes senior officials from departments such as Disaster Management, Labour, Health, and Fire Services.
In addition, the state has established a four-member panel of experts, chaired by B. Venkateshwar Rao, Emeritus Scientist at CSIR-IICT. The panel has been directed to determine the sequence of events and technical causes behind the explosion. (Edited)
