Telangana pharma plant blast | Death toll rises to 36, casualties expected to rise further as many still missing

Pashamylaram (Sangareddy dist): The death toll from Monday's devastating explosion at Sigachi Industries' dryer unit in Sangareddy, Telangana has risen to 36, making it one of the worst industrial disasters in recent memory. Seventeen people remain missing, and the death toll is expected to rise further.

The explosion occurred shortly after the morning shift began on Monday, when approximately 143 workers were present in the factory. The blast claimed the life of Vice President EL Elangovan, who was responsible for attendance and had just entered the building when the explosion occurred. His death initially created confusion about the exact number of people present during the tragedy.

Of the 143 workers on site, 57 have been located and confirmed safe, while 34 injured workers are receiving treatment at various hospitals. Several remain in critical condition.

Of the 36 confirmed deaths, only six victims have been identified so far. Authorities are struggling to establish the identities of the remaining victims and have resorted to DNA profiling for identification. The factory employed 189 people, with a majority hailing from other states.

Official sources indicated that the missing persons may have been either burned beyond recognition or trapped under debris. NDRF, SDRF, HYDRA, and Fire department personnel have been deployed to clear the wreckage, with debris removal operations nearly complete.

Government officials investigating the incident believe that temperature buildup in the spray dryer may have triggered the explosion. A spray dryer converts liquid or slurry into dried powder by atomizing it into a hot gas stream, with temperatures reaching as high as 800 degrees Celsius. The process requires a bow air handler to regulate airflow and temperature, and it is suspected that excessive heat in the spray dryer caused the blast.

The Patancheru police have filed charges against the factory management following a complaint by a victim's family member. Sangareddy Superintendent of Police Partosh Pankaj confirmed that 31 bodies have been recovered from the site, while three victims died during treatment.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy visited the blast site on Tuesday and announced comprehensive compensation for the victims and their familie Rs 1 crore ex-gratia for each deceased victim's family, Rs 10 lakh for seriously injured victims, Rs 5 lakh for partially injured victims, Rs 1 lakh immediate assistance for bereaved families , Rs 50,000 immediate assistance for injured victims' families.

"It is unfortunate that the two Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have never witnessed such a major industrial accident," Revanth Reddy said, instructing authorities to provide better medical care to the injured.

The Chief Minister has ordered officials to identify those responsible and take stringent action against them. He also demanded a detailed report on the incident and announced plans for a transparent policy to prevent similar disasters in the future.

"We will identify those responsible for the incident and take stringent action. The state government will also bring a transparent policy to prevent such incidents in the future," Revanth Reddy told reporters.