Telangana pharma plant explosion: Death toll rises to 38; worker who joined 2 days before mishap battles for life

Pashamylaram/Patancheru: The death toll from Monday's devastating explosion at Sigachi Industries' dryer unit in Sangareddy district has climbed to 38, as two more workers undergoing treatment succumbed to their injuries.

Approximately 11 people remain missing, and officials expect the death toll to rise further as rescue operations continue and several critically injured workers remain in critical condition.

However, Sigachi Industries has claimed that 40 people were killed in the blast, creating a discrepancy in the official casualty figures.

The human cost of this industrial disaster is exemplified by cases like that of Bhimrao Vithal Khand from Maharashtra, who had joined Sigachi Industries just two days before the mishap occurred. He sustained severe injuries in the explosion, suffering 80% burns, and remains in critical condition, fighting for his life in hospital.

"We live in Bandlaguda locally but originally come from Maharashtra. He had only joined Sigachi two days before the mishap. Before joining here, he was doing masonry work. In that job, you only get work when it's available, and it wasn't paying well enough to support the family, so he joined Sigachi expecting a steady monthly income. We didn't expect this to happen. They said work is related to making milk powder. We're praying to god that he saves him," Bhimrao's wife told DH while holding her two-year-old daughter.

The management of Sigachi Industries has stated that the mishap was not caused by a reactor blast, seeking to clarify reports about the nature of the explosion.

"It is with anguish that we share details of the accident that occurred at the Sigachi Industries facility in Pashamylaram, Telangana, resulting in the loss of 40 valued team members and leaving over 33 injured. Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic accident. Since the time of the accident, we have been coordinating the emergency response and family support, while extending full cooperation with investigation and compliance efforts," said a statement from Sigachi Industries released on Wednesday.

Sigachi Industries Ltd has committed to providing ex-gratia compensation of ₹1 crore to the families of the deceased, while those injured will receive full medical and rehabilitation support.

"As we await the results of the investigation, we would like to clarify that the accident was not caused by a reactor explosion at the plant, as mentioned in sections of the media. We will continue to provide updates as we receive information from the investigations. Our plant operations will remain temporarily suspended for approximately 90 days," the statement further said.