Fire at chemical factory in Telangana.
Credit: PTI photo
Hyderabad: Rescue operations continue at the Sigachi Industries facility in Sangareddy, where State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other agencies are working to trace the 11 people who remain unaccounted for following Monday's devastating industrial explosion.
On Thursday, these teams reportedly found body parts in the rubble at the accident site.
The high-level committee appointed by the Telangana government visited the site and officially launched their probe into the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
Meanwhile, family members of the blast victims staged a mild protest in front of the industry, demanding information about the whereabouts of their loved ones. They expressed anguish, saying that four days have passed without any concrete information about their missing family members.
The most heart-wrenching scene unfolded when Ramadasu, father of Justin who worked in the packing department, broke down in tears while demanding details about his son. He revealed that Justin had joined work at the industry just two days before the accident occurred.
Overwhelmed with grief and saying that no information regarding his son had been provided, Ramadasu pleaded with officials present to give details about Justin. In a moment of desperate anguish, the distraught father picked up a stone and hit himself on the head, sustaining severe injuries. Medical personnel immediately provided treatment for his self-inflicted wounds.
The condition of several others who were injured and are receiving treatment at different hospitals remains critical. The official death toll continues to stand at 38, though the discovery of additional body parts suggests this number may rise as rescue operations progress.
Meanwhile, Sigachi industries in a statement on Thursday evening had said that out of the 33 injured persons, 12 have been discharged on Thursday and each provided with Rs 1 lakh as interim relief. The company has also confirmed 38 workers perished in the blast, instead of the earlier reported number of 40.
The company confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, led by the Chief Secretary to the Government of Telangana for review and investigation of the mishap and its underlying causes. Preliminary investigation findings are expected within seven days.
As such, the company said it will refrain from commenting on the exact cause of the accident in order not to get ahead of the investigation. “For now, we stand by our earlier statement that the accident was not caused by a reactor explosion,” the company statement said on Thursday.