India chemical factory blast: 36 dead, 17 missing as search ops continue

A DAY after a massive blast reduced a chemical factory in Telangana in south central India, to ashes, the death toll rose to 35 by Tuesday morning, even as rescue operations continued with police and fire department officials retrieving several bodies from the rubble.

The blast at the Sigachi Chemicals factory in Pashamylaram industrial estate in Telangana’s Sangareddy district had trapped several workers inside, the police had said.

“Rescue operations are going on at full speed to find the missing people,” a senior rescue operator said.

The Indian Express reported on Tuesday, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy visited the site on Tuesday morning and sought a detailed report on the accident. He also instructed officials to conduct inspections in all chemical companies in the state.

“Immediate assistance of Rs 1 lakh (about RM5,700) will be provided to the families of the deceased. Rs 50,000 will be given to the families of those injured,” a statement by the chief minister’s office said.

In addition, Reddy announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family members of the deceased, Rs 10 lakh to those severely injured, and Rs 5 lakh to those with partial burns. “The culprits behind this accident will be penalised,” Reddy said at the accident site, while speaking to family members of the deceased.

He added that 143 people were working for the company when the accident took place. Among these, 58 have been identified and are safe. A total of 36 people have died, Reddy said.

The Sigachi website states that the company is “an industry leader” in pharmaceutical components, nutraceuticals, and food. The chemical factory produces MCC or microcrystalline cellulose, which is used in the pharmaceutical industry, the police said.

A senior rescue official told The Indian Express that “pressure building up inside the spray dryer” could have caused the blast. “Pressure seems to have built up when the workers were operating the spray dryer. Fine dust chemical particles accelerated the blast and the subsequent fire,” the official explained.

On Monday, CM Reddy appointed a high-level, five-member committee to review and probe the mishap. The committee comprises the chief secretary, special chief secretary-disaster management, principal secretary (labour), principal secretary (health), and additional DGP (fire services). - July 1, 2025