The death toll in the massive explosion at Sigachi Industries’ chemical factory in Telangana’s Sangareddy district rose to 34 on Tuesday. The blast had occurred a day earlier, on Monday, at the company’s facility in the Pashamylaram industrial area.
The reactor blast took place between 8:15 am and 9:35 am, flattening parts of the plant and sparking a large fire. The explosion prompted a multi-agency emergency response that carried on into Tuesday as officials worked to rescue survivors and recover bodies from the debris.
Initial death toll was 12; numbers rose sharply
On Monday, Telangana Health Minister had said: “As many as 12 people died and 34 people are under treatment. We are hopeful that there would be no more (deaths).” However, the toll surged as more bodies were recovered and some of the injured succumbed to their wounds.
Rescue and firefighting efforts in full swing
Fire department officials confirmed that five bodies were initially pulled from the rubble. That number grew as rescue operations intensified. A fire alert was received at 9:37 am, following which 11 fire engines from Patancheru, Sangareddy, Kukatpally, Madhapur, Jeedimetla, and Rajendranagar were rushed to the scene.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDF), and two firefighting robots were also deployed to aid the effort. Search and rescue operations continued through Monday evening and resumed on Tuesday.
Officials confirm timeline and emergency response
“There was a blast at Sigachi Pharma, a chemical production factory in Pasamailaram. The incident occurred around 8:15–9:35 am, and the police were informed within 10 minutes. We reached the spot within 20 minutes. NDRF, SDF, and other rescue teams, along with 10 fire engines, arrived at the scene. So far, six dead bodies have been found, and two people died while undergoing treatment at Chanda Nagar… Firefighting efforts are still ongoing, and the rescue operation is in progress,” said Inspector General V Satyanarayana on Monday, as quoted by ANI.
The factory reportedly employed around 150 workers, with nearly 90 present in the affected section at the time of the explosion. Many of them were trapped when the structure collapsed, making the rescue operation even more challenging.