The death toll in the devastating explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in Pashamylaram, near Hyderabad, climbed to 36 as more injured workers succumbed overnight in hospitals. The incident, now considered Telangana&rsquo;s worst industrial disaster to date, has left the state in mourning.
Rescue teams continued combing through the debris of the three-storey building that collapsed after Monday&rsquo;s massive blast at Sigachi Industries Limited. With 27 workers still unaccounted for, officials fear the death toll may rise further. The explosion occurred in the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying unit and severely injured 35 workers&mdash;11 of whom remain in critical condition.
At the time of the explosion, 108 workers were present at the factory, most of them migrant labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. The blast, so powerful it was heard up to five kilometres away, caused a massive fire that required 15 fire engines to extinguish. Eyewitnesses said some workers were thrown metres into the air by the force of the explosion.
Several victims were charred beyond recognition or blown apart, prompting authorities to conduct DNA testing to confirm identities. Rescue operations by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), and police are still underway.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to visit the blast site and meet with the injured at a local hospital. Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha confirmed that the exact cause of the explosion remains unknown but clarified the company, over four decades old, manufactures Microcrystalline Cellulose.
Labour Minister G. Vivek indicated that the explosion likely resulted from a malfunction in the air dryer system rather than a reactor failure.
In response, the state government has set up a high-level committee to investigate the cause and suggest preventive measures. The committee includes top officials from disaster management, labour, health, and fire services.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]

Telangana Factory Blast Kills 36, Many Still Missing

Explosion at pharma unit near Hyderabad leaves 32 dead, dozens injured; rescue ops underway

Telangana Factory Blast Kills 36, Many Still Missing

Explosion at pharma unit near Hyderabad leaves 32 dead, dozens injured; rescue ops underway

July 1, 2025 | 14:58 IST