Telangana Factory Blast: Death Toll Climbs To 42, Rescue Efforts Still On

The number of casualties in the tragic blast at a chemical manufacturing unit in Telangana rose to 42 on Tuesday as more bodies were pulled out from under the rubble. Earlier, officials had confirmed 34 deaths, as per PTI.

"Several bodies have been found under the debris while removing it. As many as 31 bodies have been extricated from the debris while three died in hospital while undergoing treatment. The last leg of the rescue operation is still going on," district Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj told PTI.

What Triggered The Explosion

The disaster took place on Monday at the Sigachi Chemical Industry located in Pashamylaram after a suspected reactor malfunction led to a powerful explosion followed by a fire. While the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation, preliminary reports suggest a possible chemical reaction might have triggered it.

State Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha told reporters that nearly 90 workers were present inside the facility when the explosion occurred.

"The explosion blew up the industrial shed completely and the force of the blast was so intense that some of the workers were thrown up in the air and they fell down about 100 metres away," he said, citing accounts from workers who witnessed the blast.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene soon after the incident. At least 10 bodies were recovered during initial operations carried out by emergency services.

Rescue and recovery operations are being jointly conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), HYDRAA, and the Telangana Fire Disaster Response teams, as per local reports.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has also expressed his sorrow over the incident. Offering condolences to the bereaved families, the Governor conveyed his wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured in the blast.

The Governor also spoke to M. Dan Kishore, Principal Secretary of Labour, Employment Training and Factories (LETF), instructing him to ensure all necessary support is extended to the victims and their families.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is expected to visit the site of the tragedy on Tuesday morning to take stock of the situation.