Sigachi Pharma blast in Telangana kills 12, factory in-charge among dead; rescue operation underway

ANI

Sangareddy (Telangana), June 30, 2025 (ANI): On explosion at Sigachi Pharma Company, Medak, DG of Telangana state Disaster Response and Fire Services, Nagireddy said that the fire incident happened during the air handling/drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. " Today around 9:48am, there was a blast in the drying unit at Sigachi Pharma Company. The explosion led to a fire. A total of 12 people have died and 35 are injured in the incident. As per industrial experts, the incident happened during the air handling/drying of Microcrystalline cellulose. We are currently unsure of the number of people under the debris," said Telangana SDRF DG. Telangana minister Vivek Venkatswamy said, "Nearly 63 people reported for work at this factory this morning. Initially, it was said that a reactor blast had occurred in the factory. We have just visited the site, and we now know that it was not a reactor blast. The factory incharge also lost his life in the accident. There is no one here who can tell what exactly happened. Out of the 63 people who reported here in the morning. We have learned that eight people have died. Right now, four more bodies have been recovered. 12 people are critical with burn injuries. The remaining 22 people have 20-25% burns and are receiving treatment. We will get more clarity in the next one or two hours..."

Transcript

00:00.

00:30Today morning in Sigarchi Industries, there was a very bad accident, nearly 63 people

00:55reported for work. Initially there was an impression that there was a reactor blast, but our Honourable

01:04Minister, Mr. Damodha Rajanath Simagaru and myself, we just visited the spot. There is

01:11no reactor blast. I think, unfortunately, the person who was in charge of the factory,

01:20he was also one of the people who was involved in the accident. He is no more. So we really,

01:28there is nobody from the factory side to give us really what happened because after the blast,

01:35whatever happened, the whole building collapsed. And out of 63 people who reported, it is now

01:43established that in the morning there were about eight people who had died. And now they

01:49have recovered four more deaths from the debris. And another 12 people are seriously critical

01:57in the hospitals. They are on the ventilator. And not only on the ventilator, I think because

02:03of the burns of the blast, their respiratory system is under threat. And I think they are

02:12critically ill. These 12 people, one person is recovering, but almost 11 people are in really

02:20bad shape. Now rest of the people, 22 people, they have been about 20 to 25 percent burns. So they

02:29are being well treated and they are being well treated. And I, 8 plus 4, 12 people have died.

02:384 people just now under the debris, they were able to. How about 22 people are still.

02:45How many are injured? 22 plus 12, 12 are critical. 22 are having burns. And I think

02:55they don't have any exhaustion issues. So we are hoping that there will be good recoveries from

03:02this 22. Sir, you were saying there is no boiler explosion or blast that has taken place here.

03:07Because of the reactor. They are some, one of the company officers were mentioning,

03:12it could be due to a air dryer pressure built up. And that's why because of that blast,

03:17the whole building, because there was, the end product was there. It is an oxygen related one.

03:23So the oxygen caught fire and then the whole building got collapsed.

03:28The company names are exactly?

03:29Cigarchi, Cigarchi Industries Limited.

03:33Out of 63, 54 have been impacted, 22 plus 12 plus 10.

03:3922 plus 12, 34 plus 12 impacted.

03:43Impacted and now still they are on the lookout of how many more are affected and how many are safe.

03:50So I think we will get a clarity in the next one or two hours. There is just now the opposition

03:58party leaders came and they have been telling that the government has neglected. It is utter false

04:04because the collector and the SP were here within half an hour of the incident. They have set up a

04:09war room here and actually the opposition leaders should understand that in such kind of a critical

04:16situation, it is important to first see that the workers who are affected are shifted to the nearby hospitals.

04:23They are saying they should have been shifted to corporate hospitals and all.

04:26Here they should understand that in such kind of incidents, giving oxygen is the most important thing.

04:32And for giving oxygen, you have to go to the nearby hospital facility, which is available.

04:38And they have been properly ventilated. 12 people are on the ventilator. It means that

04:45their immediate prompt action has been taken.

04:47Any excretia being considered, sir?

04:49Definitely we have to see, talk to the management and definitely in this kind of incidents,

04:55we need to analyze why this accident has happened. Actually being the labor minister,

05:00I had the opportunity of going through the inspection report. So in the inspection report on the air

05:06dryer system and all no such mention was done. What kind of steps need to be taken? So a good technical

05:13report is required and definitely we will ensure that the families of the deceased are well looked after

05:21and good excretia amount is definitely given. That is the responsibility of the government and we will see

05:27that whatever interim help needs to be given to the families, will definitely, government will

05:34definitely come forward. There are, because I have just seen some of the families, they are from outside,

05:42there will be some labor from outside. So we will make arrangements to see that they are well looked up.

05:57Today in the morning around 8, 9 48.

06:06Today morning around 9 48 a.m. there was a blast in the sigachi industry, say chemical industry,

06:13pharma related material is manufactured in this one. So there is this micro crystalline cellulose drying

06:21unit is there. So there is a blast in the drying unit. That is the cause of the blasting followed by the fire

06:26incident. So total 12 people died in the incident and then 35 people are under treatment.

06:33Right. So what about the blast? They are saying that it was reactor blast? What was it?

06:38No. This is a, basically they, they handle the cellulose material. So it is called micro crystalline cellulose.

06:45So they, basically they powder it and then dry it in the processing unit. So during the processing,

06:53some error could have happened and then followed by a blast of the, the drying unit.

06:58Right. So how many floor buildings is there?

07:00So this is a three floor building. Even drying unit is also of a three floor type. So the, basically the

07:08industrial experts are saying that during the drying process or air handling process. So the pressure

07:15could have built up and followed by the blasting of the material and which led to the blasting of the

07:20entire air handling unit as well as the industrial building also. And then followed by the death of the,

07:29death of the people and injuries to a lot of people.

07:31So how many people could be there under the debris?

07:35We are still searching. We are, we, we are not sure of the number of the people under the debris,

07:41but maybe there may be few people, but most of the people are either, they escaped from the blast

07:47and then some people are shifted to hospital. As I have mentioned, 35 people are under treatment.

07:52Okay. Right. So how long it's going to take for the debris?

07:56I think by evening, we should be able to finish the removal of the debris.

08:01Yeah.

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