Hyderabad Pharma Factory Blast Kills 17, Injures 30: Govt Orders High-Level Probe

Hyderabad Pharma Factory Blast:

Seventeen workers were killed and at least thirty others injured in a powerful explosion at Sigachi Industries Private Limited, a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit located in the Pashamylaram industrial area near Hyderabad, on Monday morning. The blast, which occurred around 9:30 a.m., brought down a significant portion of the three-storey building and sparked a massive fire, trapping many workers inside.

Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were among the first responders on site. NDRF Deputy Commander Damodar Singh confirmed that five of the deceased were charred in the fire, and that his team alone rescued around 30 people from beneath the rubble. Twenty-five of the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals with varying degrees of burns and injuries, some of them reported to be in critical condition.

At the time of the explosion, around 80 workers were believed to be inside the production unit. Most of the workers employed at the site were migrants from Bihar and West Bengal, working 12-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The manager of the factory was also among those killed, making it difficult for officials to determine the exact number of people still unaccounted for. Rescue operations continued well into the evening as teams cleared the debris in search of survivors.

Initial findings suggest that the explosion was triggered by a build-up of pressure inside a spray dryer used in the manufacturing process. A senior rescue official said that fine dust chemical particles might have intensified the explosion and accelerated the spread of fire. The factory was engaged in the production of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC), a chemical compound widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. On its website, Sigachi Industries describes itself as an industry leader in pharmaceutical ingredients and nutraceuticals.

The first emergency call was made at 9:30 a.m., and fire tenders were dispatched within a minute. Despite the quick response, the intensity of the blast had already flattened a section of the building, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos. Several workers who had just started their shifts found themselves trapped beneath twisted metal and shattered concrete.

In response to the tragedy, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has constituted a high-level committee to investigate the incident. The five-member committee will be headed by the Chief Secretary and will include the Special Chief Secretary for Disaster Management, Principal Secretary (Labour), Principal Secretary (Health), and Additional DGP (Fire Services). The panel has been tasked with determining the root cause of the explosion and recommending measures to prevent such accidents in the future. “In addition to probing this mishap, the panel would also submit a report on ways to prevent such accidents from reoccurring,” the Chief Minister said in an official statement.

The disaster has sparked widespread concern about industrial safety standards, especially in units employing migrant labor. Survivors have raised concerns over poor safety protocols and extended working hours, while local authorities have begun examining whether the company had adhered to all necessary regulatory and safety norms.

As hospitals continue to treat the injured and rescue efforts persist, the families of the deceased await identification and the state government is expected to announce compensation for victims after the committee’s initial findings are submitted. The nation mourns yet another industrial tragedy that highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement of workplace safety regulations across the country.

Highlights:

17 killed, 30 injured in a pharma unit blast in Telangana’s Pashamylaram.
Blast linked to pressure build-up in a spray dryer; chemical dust may have fueled fire.
Most victims were migrant workers from Bihar and West Bengal.
Rescue operations extended through Monday evening.
CM Revanth Reddy orders high-level probe committee to investigate cause and ensure accountability