Telangana reactor blast: Death toll rises to 42 in Hyderabad’s Sigachi chemical plant explosion

The death toll from the explosion at a chemical factory in Telangana rose to 42 on Tuesday as rescue teams recovered more bodies from the blast site, Hindustan Times reported.

Earlier, officials said that at least 39 people had been confirmed dead after a massive blast and fire ripped through the Sigachi Chemical Industry unit in Pashamylaram on Monday.

“Several bodies have been found under the debris while clearing it. So far, 31 bodies have been pulled out from the rubble, while three more victims died in hospital during treatment. The final phase of rescue operations is still ongoing,” said District Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj, quoted by PTI.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is expected to visit the accident site on Tuesday morning.

The explosion, suspected to have been triggered by a chemical reaction, completely destroyed the industrial shed. State Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha said around 90 workers were present in the factory at the time of the blast.

“The force of the explosion was so strong that it blew apart the shed and hurled some workers nearly 100 metres away,” he told reporters, citing workers’ accounts.

Sigachi Industries Limited, according to its website, produces Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), intermediates, excipients, vitamin-mineral blends, and provides operations and management services.

Rescue and firefighting efforts began soon after the blast, with at least 10 bodies initially recovered from the debris. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, though a chemical reaction is suspected.

On Tuesday, local media reported that rescue operations are continuing, involving teams from the NDRF, HYDRAA, and Telangana Fire Disaster Response.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the families of the deceased and wishing a swift recovery for the injured.

The Governor also spoke with Labour, Employment Training and Factories (LETF) Principal Secretary M. Dan Kishore, instructing him to ensure all possible support and assistance for the victims.