Death toll rises to 39 after blast at pharmaceutical factory in India

Euronews

3 days ago

The death toll from the massive explosion and fire at a pharmaceutical factory in southern India on Monday has risen to at least 39, officials have said.
The incident at Sigachi Industries' chemical factory in the southern state of Telangana also injured 34 people, according to authorities.
The debris of the gutted factory was still being removed to find out if any more workers were trapped, the state's fire services director GV Narayana Rao said on Tuesday.
'The whole structure of the factory has collapsed. Fire has been doused, and we hope to finish removing the debris in the next few hours," Rao said early on Tuesday morning.
Sigachi Industries did not disclose what led to the explosion and fire, but said the plant's core manufacturing infrastructure was damaged and facility operations would be halted for 90 days. The plant produces microcrystalline cellulose, a chemical compound commonly used in making drugs.
Telangana's Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha said 108 workers were inside the factory when it exploded.
"As bodies were badly burnt and mutilated, a special medical team has been deployed to conduct DNA tests", said Narasimha, adding that the state government has set up a panel to investigate the cause of the incident.
In a disclosure to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Monday, the company called the incident "unfortunate" and announced that a thorough site assessment was underway.
On Monday, the office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on X an ex gratia payment of 200,000 rupees (€1,979) for the next of kin of every deceased person and 50,000 rupees (€495) each for those injured.
India is home to several of the world's top pharmaceutical companies, playing a pivotal role in the global supply of generic medicines and vaccines. The nation's robust manufacturing and cost-effective production have made it a hub for pharma giants.
However, industrial accidents, particularly involving chemical reactors, are far from uncommon in such factories, which have led to calls for authorities to implement stringent safety protocols and regulatory oversight in a sector critical to public health.