The number of fatalities from the devastating explosion and fire at Sigachi Industries’ chemical plant in southern India has climbed to 39, authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The pharmaceutical supplier has been forced to suspend operations at the facility for a 90-day period.
The Telangana state government, where the plant is located, has established a five-member panel to investigate the tragedy. As of now, the company has not released any details regarding what triggered the deadly incident.
In addition to the lives lost, 34 individuals sustained injuries in the explosion, which occurred on Monday.
“We are still clearing the debris,” said GV Narayana Rao, who heads the state’s fire and emergency services. “Once we are all done with the clearing, only then we will be able to assess if any other body is still remaining under the debris or if it is all clear,” Rao added.
Authorities reported that more than 140 employees were inside the facility when the explosion occurred. According to local administrator P. Pravinya, 25 of the victims have yet to be identified.
“I came out (of the plant) to use the restroom and heard a loud blast. It sounded like a bomb blast. I came out and saw fire. A part of the fire also spread towards me. I jumped the wall and escaped,” said Chandan Gound, 32, an employee who had been with the company for six months.
“Many of them (those inside) managed to escape, but a large number were trapped and could not come out,” Gound added.
Sigachi Industries produces microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a widely used ingredient across pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and specialty chemical sectors. The product is crucial in drug manufacturing due to its binding and compressibility properties, and is also used to prevent clumping in food, stabilize textures in cosmetics, and serve as a fat replacement in diet-friendly products.
The now-closed Telangana facility accounted for slightly more than 25% of Sigachi’s total annual production capacity, which stands at 21,700 million metric tons.
Following the explosion, the company’s shares tumbled by approximately 8% on Tuesday, marking one of its steepest two-day declines on record. Sigachi has announced the plant closure for three months due to severe structural and equipment damage. The facility is fully insured, and the firm has begun the claims process.
In an unrelated event also reported on Tuesday, five individuals lost their lives and four others were injured in a massive blaze at a fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu’s Sivakasi region—an area frequently affected by such accidents, according to local fire officials.
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