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The death toll in the explosion in a pharmaceutical unit at Pashamylaram near Hyderabad rose sharply to 35 on Tuesday, July 1, Sangareddy Superintendent of Police (SP) Paritosh Pankaj told TNM.
The death toll in one of the worst industrial disasters in Telangana may go up further as the rescue workers continued searching for the bodies in the debris of a three-storey building, which collapsed under the impact of the blast.
Speaking to the media, Telangana Labour Minister Gaddam Vivek Venkat Swamy said, "There was no reactor blast. The person who was in charge of the factory also died in the accident, so there’s noone from the factory’s side to tell us what happened."
A massive explosion rocked Sigachi Industries Limited’s pharmaceutical factory at Pashamylaram industrial area in Sangareddy district, about 50 km from Hyderabad, on the morning of Monday, June 30.
The explosion in the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying unit also left several workers injured, and some of them are reportedly critical.
According to officials, around 25 workers were still missing. They were feared trapped under the debris.
Personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), Revenue and police continued clearing debris.
The majority of the victims were migrant workers from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.
Nearly 100 workers were at the factory at the time of the blast, which could be heard about five km away. The explosion triggered a huge fire, and 15 fire engines were used to douse the flames.
According to eye-witnesses, such was the impact of the explosion that workers were tossed in the air and fell several meters away.
As the bodies of some victims were blown to pieces or charred beyond recognition, the authorities were conducting DNA tests to establish their identity.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will be visiting the accident site on Tuesday, July 1. He will also call on the injured at a government hospital.
Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha told media persons at the spot on Monday, June 30, that the cause of the explosion was not yet known. The company, which is 40-45 years old, manufactures microcrystalline cellulose, he said.
Labour Minister G Vivek said prima facie it was not a reactor blast. Some problem in the air dryer system is believed to have resulted in the explosion and fire.
The state government appointed a high-powered committee to probe the disaster and its underlying causes.
The committee comprises the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management), Principal Secretary (Labour), Principal Secretary (Health) and Additional DGP (Fire Services).
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the panel would also make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such accidents.