At least 42 individuals lost their lives in an explosion and subsequent fire at Sigachi Industries’ factory located near Hyderabad in southern India on June 30. The fatality count has increased as additional victims were found beneath the debris of the collapsed structure. As reported by local news outlets, no fewer than 25 workers have been hospitalized suffering from burns and various grave injuries.
The blast took place in the reactor zone of the factory, triggering a large fire and destroying the multistorey building, which left many trapped under the wreckage. Initial investigations indicate that the explosion followed a pressure buildup in a spray dryer unit that was processing microcrystalline cellulose, likely caused by a malfunction in the air handling system. A comprehensive investigation is ongoing to determine the causes, as well as any potential neglect and violations of safety measures. Officials noted that the hazardous materials display was nonexistent when rescuers arrived, leaving them uninformed about the nature of the substances they were dealing with.
The National Disaster Response Force, local law enforcement, and fire service teams initiated a rescue mission, successfully extracting nearly 30 workers—primarily migrants from Telangana and neighboring regions—from beneath the debris. The Telangana state government has referred to this as a ‘tragedy of unprecedented scale’ and has formed a special five-member inquiry team to investigate the occurrence. The local Patancheru police have filed a case against Sigachi following a complaint lodged by the son of a victim who perished in the explosion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences and declared federal compensation packages for the injured and the families of the deceased. State Chief Minister Revanth Reddy visited the site of the factory and promised additional state-funded compensation to the affected. Reddy has also directed state officials to carry out inspections at all chemical manufacturing facilities within the state.
In a related occurrence, at least four individuals were killed and five more hospitalized on July 1 due to an explosion at a fireworks factory in Chinnakamanpati near Sivakasi— a significant center for fireworks production. This incident comes on the heels of two other lethal explosions at fireworks factories in different parts of the country in April.