Telangana pharma plant explosion: Death toll rises to 36, rescue ops underway

The death toll in the massive explosion at a pharma plant in Telangana's Sangareddy increased to 36 on Tuesday. Rescue operations are undergoing at the blast site and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is likely to visit the victims today.

 

Sangareddy district police superintendent said the rescue operations are in the last leg. "Several bodies have been found under the debris while removing it. As many as 31 bodies have been extricated from the debris while three died in hospital while undergoing treatment. The last leg of the rescue operation is still going on," Sangareddy Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj told PTI.

 

Health Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy would visit the accident site and review the rescue operations. On Monday, the health minister said the government is in talks with the pharma company regarding ex-gratia for the victims. 

 

 

Chief Minister Reddy condoled the incident on Monday and formed a high-powered committee to probe the incident. The five-member committee comprises the chief secretary, special chief secretary (Disaster management), principal secretary (Labour), principal secretary (Health), and Additional DGP (Fire services), the chief minister's office said. The probe committee has also been ordered to submit recommendations on preventing such accidents in the future.

 

According to authorities, a chemical reaction at the Sigachi Industries pharma plant is suspected to have caused the fatal explosion. The blast occurred at one of the reactor units at Sigachi Industries on Monday. 

 

Sigachi Industries are the manufacturers of pharma ingredients like Microcrystalline Cellulose. The fire raged around the reactor areas in the plant and firefighters struggled to put out the fire. Over 10 fire engines and multiple fire robots were deployed to douse the fire.

 

Pashamylaram is an industrial area and it houses a number of chemical, pharma and small-scale units, and is not a stranger to fire accidents. A few months ago, a fire was reported at a furniture manufacturing unit. Last year, a massive fire broke out in the waste management company but no casualties were reported. 

 

India