Telangana chemical factory explosion
{{Short description|2025 factory fire in Telangana, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox event
| name = 2025 Telangana chemical factory explosion
| image =
| caption =
| map = {{Location map | India Telangana#India
| places =
|lat= 17.32193
|long= 78.1135
|label=chemical factory explosion
|mark=
| position = top
| caption =
| width = 300
| float = center
| relief = yes
}}
| map_caption =
| date = {{start date|2025|6|30|df=yes}}
| time = {{Circa}} 9:00{{nbsp}}a.m. IST
| location = Sigachi Industries Ltd factory, Pashamylaram, Sangareddy, Telangana, India
| coordinates = {{coord|17|32|19.3|N|78|11|35.5|E|type:event_region:IND|display=inline,title}}
| type = Chemical explosion
| fatalities = 44
| injuries = 33
| missing =
}}
On 30 June 2025, a fire broke out following the explosion of a building housing the reactor unit at a chemical factory in Pashamylaram, Sangareddy district, India, killing 44 people and injuring 33.
Incident
The incident occurred at a factory owned by Sigachi Industries Limited in Telangana, India. The plant produced microcrystalline cellulose, a binding compound used in making pharmaceuticals, and represented a fourth of the company's manufacturing capacity.{{Cite web |date=1 July 2025 |title=Death toll rises to 36 after explosion at a pharmaceutical factory in southern India |url=https://apnews.com/article/india-pharmaceutical-factory-fire-telangana-e914c229736d1b2af3d4565d0e227cb1 |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=AP News |language=en}}
The factory’s spray dryer unit, which was used to process raw material into fine powder, exploded around 9:00 a.m IST, leading to a complete collapse of the building and severe damage to nearby structures. The explosion happened during working hours, with over 140 people in the building, killing 44 people and injuring another 33.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-07-08 |title=Telangana factory blast: Death toll rises to 44 |url=https://www.siasat.com/telangana-factory-blast-death-toll-rises-to-44-3243238/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |website=The Siasat Daily |language=en |agency=Indo-Asian News Service |archive-date=8 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708055813/https://www.siasat.com/telangana-factory-blast-death-toll-rises-to-44-3243238/ |url-status=live }} Two died at the hospital following the explosion.{{Cite web |title=Death toll rises to 36 after India pharmaceutical factory blast, fire |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/1/death-toll-rises-to-36-after-india-pharmaceutical-factory-blast-fire |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2 July 2025 |title=Telangana plant explosion: Debris clearance almost over, Sigachi unit has no NoC from Fire Dept |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/telangana-plant-explosion-debris-clearance-almost-over-sigachi-unit-has-no-noc-from-fire-dept-101751429484044.html |access-date=2 July 2025 |work=Hindustan Times}} Due to the severity of the burns, DNA testing was conducted to identify the deceased.{{Cite news |last=Kaur |first=Siddharth Kumar Singh & Lavpreet |date=1 July 2025 |title=Telangana pharma factory blast: Death toll reaches 36, rain hampers rescue operations |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/telangana-pharma-factory-blast-sangareddy-death-toll-rises-updates-july-1-2025/article69758294.ece |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}} The explosion is considered to be Telangana's worst industrial disaster.{{Cite web |date=1 July 2025 |title=Telangana's Worst Industrial Disaster: Death Toll in Sangareddy Blast Rises to 45 |url=https://munsifdaily.com/telangana-death-toll-in-blast-rises-to-45/ |access-date=1 July 2025 |language=en-US}}
Reactions
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy announced compensation of {{INRConvert|200000|lk=on|year=2025|to=USD}} to each of the deceased victims' families and {{INRConvert|50000|year=2025|to=USD}} to each of the injured.{{Cite news |date=30 June 2025 |title=Blast In Telangana Chemical Factory Kills At Least Eight; PM Modi Announces ₹2 Lakh Ex-Gratia |url=https://ddnews.gov.in/en/blast-in-telangana-chemical-factory-kills-at-least-fight-pm-modi-announces-%E2%82%B92-lakh-ex-gratia/ |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=DD News}}{{Cite news |date=1 July 2025 |title=Telangana factory blast: CM Nitish Kumar announces Rs 2 lakh help to victims' kin; Rs 50,000 for injured from Bihar |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/telangana-blast-cm-announces-rs-2-lakh-help-to-victims-kin-from-bihar/articleshow/122165899.cms |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=1 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250701134437/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/telangana-blast-cm-announces-rs-2-lakh-help-to-victims-kin-from-bihar/articleshow/122165899.cms |url-status=live }} Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a {{INRConvert|1000000|year=2025|to=USD}} payment to the families of each of the eight workers from Odisha that were killed in the blast.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-07-04 |title=Telangana pharma blast: Odisha govt announces 10L aid for kin of 8 deceased workers |url=https://www.siasat.com/odisha-cm-announces-10l-aid-for-kin-of-odia-workers-killed-in-telangana-factory-blast-3242014/ |access-date=2025-07-06 |website=The Siasat Daily |language=en |agency=Press Trust of India}} A government panel was formed to investigate the incident.
Sigachi Industries said it would pay {{INRConvert|10000000|year=2025|to=USD}} to the families of each victim, and would pay for medical support for the injured.{{Cite news |last=Rao |first=Srinivasa |date=3 July 2025 |title=Panel to probe Sigachi blast, says Telangana; toll now 40: Factory |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/panel-to-probe-sigachi-blast-says-t-gana-toll-now-40-factory-101751482232788.html |access-date=3 July 2025 |work=Hindustan Times}}
Investigation
The company denied that the incident was caused by a reactor explosion.{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=N. Ravi |date=2 July 2025 |title=Telangana's Sigachi Industries clarifies factory blast was an accident and not caused by reactor explosion |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/telangana-it-was-an-accident-not-caused-by-reactor-explosion-sigachi/article69763326.ece |access-date=2 July 2025 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}} Operations at the factory were halted for 90 days due to significant damage to equipment and structures at the plant.{{Cite web |date=1 July 2025 |title=India: Death toll in Sigachi Industries fire rises to 34 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8zz67qm9go |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} By the next day, shares of Sigachi industries had fallen 18%.
A case was filed against the management of Sigachi Industries and the company announced it would carry out a thorough site assessment. According to the complaint filed by a victim's family member, workers had repeatedly raised concerns with management regarding the use of outdated equipment, but their concerns were ignored. According to the Telangana Fire Department, the plant lacked adequate safety measures, including fire alarms and heat sensors.{{Cite news |date=2 July 2025 |title=Telangana plant explosion: Sigachi used old machinery despite requests to change, says FIR |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/telangana-plant-explosion-sigachi-used-old-machinery-despite-requests-to-change-says-fir/articleshow/122199903.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2 July 2025 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Disasters in India in 2025}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Telangana chemical factory explosion, 2025}}
Category:2025 disasters in India