Pashamylaram Blast: Death Toll Rises to 36 in Telangana’s Worst Industrial Tragedy
The death toll from the devastating explosion at a pharmaceutical facility in Pashamylaram near Hyderabad surged to 36 on Tuesday, making it the deadliest industrial disaster in Telangana’s recent history.
Several critically injured victims succumbed to their injuries in hospitals, while rescue teams recovered more bodies from the debris of the collapsed three-storey building. Officials fear the toll may rise further as the search operations continue.
The massive explosion, which occurred on Monday morning at Sigachi Industries Limited’s unit in the Pashamylaram industrial zone of Sangareddy district—about 50 km from Hyderabad—originated in the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying section. The blast not only triggered a massive fire but also caused the entire structure to collapse.
More than 30 workers were injured in the blast, many of whom are in critical condition. Of the 108 employees present at the site during the explosion, a majority were migrant workers from states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
The impact was so powerful that the sound of the blast was heard as far as 5 km away. Eyewitnesses reported that several workers were thrown into the air, with some landing meters from their original location. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), along with revenue and police personnel, are tirelessly working to clear the debris.
Fifteen fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire. Among the identified victims are Jaganmohan, Ram Singh, Shashibhushan Kumar, and Laganjeet. However, due to the severity of the explosion, several bodies were charred beyond recognition, prompting authorities to initiate DNA tests for identification.
Telangana Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha and Labour Minister G. Vivek visited the accident site again on Tuesday, overseeing the relief and rescue operations. Director General of Police Jitender and other senior officials also assessed the situation on the ground.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is expected to visit the site later today and will meet the injured at a local government hospital.
In response to the tragedy, the state government has constituted a high-powered committee to investigate the incident and its root causes. The panel includes the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management), Principal Secretaries for Labour and Health, and the Additional Director General of Police (Fire Services). It has been tasked with submitting recommendations to prevent such industrial disasters in the future.
