The explosion triggered a blaze which spread to the adjoining building and caused the collapse of the three-storeyed structure, leaving several trapped under the rubble.
A massive explosion at Sigachi Industries in Pashamylaram Industrial Park in the Sangareddy district of Telangana left at least 12 workers dead and 36 injured, including critical ones.
The explosion triggered a blaze which spread to the adjoining building and caused the collapse of the three-storeyed structure, leaving several trapped under the rubble.
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The powerful blast that ripped through the unit flung workers some hundred feet away, said eyewitnesses.
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The company is stated to be the largest producer of Microcrystalline Cellulose and supplies to the Pharma and Food industries. The workers were mostly from other states like Bihar, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. There was confusion about the exact number of workers who were inside because the factory manager died.
According to officials, the first alert came at 9:37 am, following which 11 fire engines were deployed. NDRF and SDRF personnel were also rushed in to carry out the rescue of the trapped workers. Around 150 workers were on that particular shift, but some 65 workers were present on the spot.
The injured were shifted to hospitals in and around Sangareddy. Two of the dead were identified as Abhishek Kumar and Nagarjit Tiwari. Rescue workers had to use earthmovers to remove the rubble.
Labour minister G Vivek Venkataswamy, who visited the spot along with health minister Damodar Raja Narsimha, said 12 workers were on ventilator support. “There was no reactor blast. Unfortunately, the person in charge of the factory was involved in the accident and he is no more. So, there is nobody from the factory side to tell what happened as after the blast, the entire building collapsed.
Out of 63 who reported to work, it has been established that eight died in the morning and now four more bodies have been recovered from debris. Twelve people are on the ventilator support. 22 people have 20-25 per cent burns, they will hopefully recover.
The minister said the blast may have occurred due to some air pressure buildup.
Expressing anguish over the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each dead. “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy at a factory in Sangareddy, Telangana. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs50,000,” read a statement released by the Prime Minister’s office.
Expressing shock over the tragedy, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to rescue the trapped workers and provide medical care for the injured.
The chief minister has appointed a high-powered committee to review and probe the mishap, and its underlying causes. The five-member committee includes the chief secretary, disaster management secretary, labour secretary, health secretary, and Addl DGP (Fire Services). In addition to probing this mishap, the panel will also submit a report on ways to prevent such accidents from reoccurring.
The chief minister Revanth Reddy has also instructed the chief secretary to take care of treatment of all the injured.
Meanwhile, BRS leader T Harish Rao claimed that the government had not set up a control room and he found several family members weeping and looking for information about their kin. “Safety audits are a must for all industrial units and I demand that the government conduct a thorough investigation,” said the BRS working president.
The industrial park has past records of similar accidents, though this time the number of fatalities was much higher.
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