Telangana factory blast kills 42; rescue Ops continue amid rising toll

A massive explosion at a chemical factory in Telangana’s Sangareddy district has claimed at least 42 lives, with officials recovering more bodies during ongoing rescue operations on Tuesday.

The blast, suspected to have been triggered by a chemical reactor, tore through the Sigachi Chemical Industry unit in Pashamylaram on Monday. What began as a toll of 12 rose sharply by Tuesday morning and continued to climb as more victims were pulled from the rubble.

“Several bodies have been found under the debris while removing it… The last leg of the rescue operation is still going on,” said Paritosh Pankaj, Superintendent of Police for the district.

State health minister Damodar Rajanarasimha confirmed that nearly 90 people were inside the factory when the explosion occurred. “The force of the blast was such that some workers were flung nearly 100 metres away,” he told reporters, citing accounts from survivors.

Chief minister Revanth Reddy is expected to visit the site, as local authorities, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), HYDRAA, and Telangana Fire Disaster Response teams continue search and relief efforts.

While the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation, officials suspect a chemical reaction may have triggered the deadly blast.

Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma expressed deep grief over the tragedy, extending condolences to the victims’ families and urging the Labour and Factories department to provide all possible support to those affected.