Pashamylaram Pharma Blast Death Toll Rises to 32 as Rescue Efforts Continue

Telangana’s worst industrial disaster claims lives of migrant workers; CM Revanth Reddy to visit site as high-powered probe panel is formed

HYDERABAD – The death toll in the massive explosion at a pharmaceutical unit in Pashamylaram, near Hyderabad, climbed to 32 on Tuesday, with at least 15 of the 35 injured workers succumbing to their wounds overnight. Authorities fear the toll could rise further as rescue operations continue amid the wreckage of a three-storey building that collapsed under the force of the blast.

The tragedy occurred on Monday morning at Sigachi Industries Limited in the Pashamylaram industrial zone of Sangareddy district, about 50 kilometers from Hyderabad. The explosion is believed to have originated in the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying unit. The blast not only flattened the building but also triggered a massive fire, requiring 15 fire engines to bring it under control.

Officials reported that 27 workers remain missing and are feared trapped under the debris. Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), Revenue Department, and local police are engaged in clearing the rubble and searching for bodies.

Most of the victims were migrant workers from states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. At the time of the explosion, 108 workers were reportedly present in the facility. Eye-witnesses described the sheer force of the explosion, saying that some workers were flung into the air and landed several meters away.

Several bodies were charred beyond recognition or blown apart, prompting authorities to conduct DNA tests to identify the victims.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is scheduled to visit the accident site on Tuesday and meet the injured at a local government hospital. On Monday, Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha stated that the cause of the explosion was still unclear. Sigachi Industries, which is 40–45 years old, manufactures MCC, a commonly used pharmaceutical excipient.

Labour Minister G. Vivek noted that the incident did not appear to be a reactor blast, and preliminary findings suggest the explosion may have resulted from a malfunction in the air dryer system.

The Telangana government has constituted a high-powered committee to investigate the disaster. The panel, comprising the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management), Principal Secretaries of Labour and Health, and the Additional Director General of Fire Services, will also recommend measures to prevent future industrial accidents.