Telangana chemical factory explosion
  chemical factory explosion  chemical factory explosion | |
| Date | 30 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time | c. 9:00 a.m. IST |
| Location | Sigachi Industries Ltd factory, Pashamylaram, Sangareddy, Telangana, India |
| Coordinates | 17°32′19.3″N 78°11′35.5″E / 17.538694°N 78.193194°E |
| Type | Chemical explosion |
| Deaths | 44 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 33 |
On 30 June 2025, a fire broke out following the explosion of a building housing the reactor unit at a chemical factory in Pashamylaram, Sangareddy district, India, killing 44 people and injuring 33.
Incident
[edit]The incident occurred at a factory owned by Sigachi Industries Limited in Telangana, India. The plant produced microcrystalline cellulose, a binding compound used in making pharmaceuticals, and represented a fourth of the company's manufacturing capacity.[1]
The factory’s spray dryer unit, which was used to process raw material into fine powder, exploded around 9:00 a.m IST, leading to a complete collapse of the building and severe damage to nearby structures. The explosion happened during working hours, with over 140 people in the building, killing 44 people and injuring another 33.[2] Two died at the hospital following the explosion.[3][4] Due to the severity of the burns, DNA testing was conducted to identify the deceased.[5] The explosion is considered to be Telangana's worst industrial disaster.[6]
Reactions
[edit]Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy announced compensation of ₹200,000 (US$2,400) to each of the deceased victims' families and ₹50,000 (US$590) to each of the injured.[7][8] Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a ₹1,000,000 (US$12,000) payment to the families of each of the eight workers from Odisha that were killed in the blast.[9] A government panel was formed to investigate the incident.[3]
Sigachi Industries said it would pay ₹10,000,000 (US$120,000) to the families of each victim, and would pay for medical support for the injured.[10]
Investigation
[edit]The company denied that the incident was caused by a reactor explosion.[11] Operations at the factory were halted for 90 days due to significant damage to equipment and structures at the plant.[12] By the next day, shares of Sigachi industries had fallen 18%.[1]
A case was filed against the management of Sigachi Industries and the company announced it would carry out a thorough site assessment. According to the complaint filed by a victim's family member, workers had repeatedly raised concerns with management regarding the use of outdated equipment, but their concerns were ignored. According to the Telangana Fire Department, the plant lacked adequate safety measures, including fire alarms and heat sensors.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Death toll rises to 36 after explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in southern India". AP News. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Telangana factory blast: Death toll rises to 44". The Siasat Daily. Indo-Asian News Service. 8 July 2025. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Death toll rises to 36 after India pharmaceutical factory blast, fire". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Telangana plant explosion: Debris clearance almost over, Sigachi unit has no NoC from Fire Dept". Hindustan Times. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ Kaur, Siddharth Kumar Singh & Lavpreet (1 July 2025). "Telangana pharma factory blast: Death toll reaches 36, rain hampers rescue operations". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Telangana's Worst Industrial Disaster: Death Toll in Sangareddy Blast Rises to 45". 1 July 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Blast In Telangana Chemical Factory Kills At Least Eight; PM Modi Announces ₹2 Lakh Ex-Gratia". DD News. 30 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Telangana factory blast: CM Nitish Kumar announces Rs 2 lakh help to victims' kin; Rs 50,000 for injured from Bihar". The Times of India. 1 July 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 1 July 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Telangana pharma blast: Odisha govt announces 10L aid for kin of 8 deceased workers". The Siasat Daily. Press Trust of India. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ Rao, Srinivasa (3 July 2025). "Panel to probe Sigachi blast, says Telangana; toll now 40: Factory". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ Kumar, N. Ravi (2 July 2025). "Telangana's Sigachi Industries clarifies factory blast was an accident and not caused by reactor explosion". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "India: Death toll in Sigachi Industries fire rises to 34". BBC. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Telangana plant explosion: Sigachi used old machinery despite requests to change, says FIR". The Economic Times. 2 July 2025. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2 July 2025.