Telangana Factory Blast: Eyewitnesses share horror stories of workers being flung 100 meters in air
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A powerful blast at Sigachi Industries Ltd 's chemical unit in Telangana's Pashamylaram industrial estate killed at least 35 people on Monday. Many more remain missing. Workers were flung through the air as fire spread and parts of the plant collapsed within minutes.Eyewitnesses at the site said the force was brutal. Some described bodies being thrown far away. 'Workers were tossed into the air and thrown several metres away,' they told South First. Most victims were migrant labourers from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and other states.On Monday, Telangana health minister Damodar Rajanarasimha confirmed about 90 workers were inside when the blast struck, as reported by PTI. Quoting survivors, he said, 'The explosion blew up the industrial shed completely and the force of the blast was so intense that some of the workers were thrown up in the air and they fell down about 100 metres away.'Patancheru MLA Mahipal Reddy stood at the scene and directly blamed the company. 'The company is running without any safety precautions. Many people have been injured and have died,' he told reporters. He also claimed the firm may be hiding the real death toll.The blast hit at around 9.20 am inside a drying unit. Sigachi Industries said in a statement, 'The incident happened at approximately 9.20 am in the vicinity of our Hyderabad plant located at Pashamylaram, Phase-1.'Director General of State Disaster Response and Fire Services Y Nagi Reddy explained, 'As per industrial experts, the incident happened during the air handling/drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. We are currently unsure of the number of people under the debris.' He added later, 'Today, at around 9.48 am, there was a blast in the drying unit at Sigachi Pharma Company. The explosion led to a fire. A total of 12 people have died and 35 are injured in the incident.'The company announced a complete production halt at the Hyderabad unit for 90 days for repairs. 'In addition to the human losses, the incident also caused damage to certain ancillary equipment and civil structures within the facility,' Sigachi said in its stock exchange filing. 'While the exact number of injured is currently being confirmed, the well-being of our personnel remains our foremost priority.'This unit produces about 6,000 metric tonnes of MCC every year — nearly a third of the company's capacity.After the blast, thick smoke spread across the area. Many locals complained of breathing problems. Authorities began evacuating residents as a precaution while rescue teams searched for trapped workers.Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss. He announced Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Union Minister and Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy said, 'NDRF, Police and other agencies are engaged in relief operations...Central financial assistance of Rs 2 lakhs each will be given to families of the deceased persons and Rs 50,000 to the injured.'He added, 'The BJP never does politics on such issues. We will fully cooperate in relief activities...The state government should take all steps to prevent such accidents.'Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on X, 'Saddened by the tragic accident in a chemical factory in Sangareddy , Telangana. The NDRF team rushed to the spot immediately and is continuing the rescue operation along with the local administration.' He added, 'My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the swift recovery of those injured.'This tragedy is not isolated. In the past 30 months, Telangana has seen at least 10 major blasts in industrial areas like Pashamylaram and Patancheru. Poor maintenance and shortage of skilled operators are blamed.In December, this very Sigachi plant cleared a safety check by the factories department. But after Monday's blast, it has been shut down indefinitely. Investigators say no highly flammable solvents were found near the dryers. B Raja Gopal, Director of Factories, told TOI, 'Our preliminary findings suggest that the explosion was due to pressure accumulation in air handling in the dryer. The equipment may have experienced blockages from materials, resulting in heavy pressure build up. This might have triggered a blast.'HYDRAA Commissioner A V Ranganath added, 'The intense heat built up in the container led to the blast which impacted an area up to 50 metres.'As rescue teams sift through debris, families of workers wait for news. This blast has again exposed the risks workers face every day in Telangana's industrial hubs. Many now ask if anything will really change.
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