Pharma factory blast: Over 300 officials in race to trace six missing workers; Factories department suspect static charge and pressure build-up

Rescue operations continued throughout Tuesday (July 1, 2025) at Sigachi Industries Pvt. Ltd., a pharmaceutical unit located in the Pashamylaram industrial area near Hyderabad, where an explosion the previous day killed at least 36 workers and injured several others. Over 300 personnel from various emergency agencies are on the ground, navigating a site strewn with heavy concrete debris and mangled machinery parts.

Telangana pharma factory blast updates from July 1

Officials confirmed that 143 individuals were at the facility at the time of the explosion, of whom 74 were affected.

“During the overnight search operation, a total of 19 bodies were retrieved from the debris. Search operations are still under way both at the site and in nearby areas for individuals who remain missing,” said Swamy Goud, an official from the Sangareddy police, adding that no bodies were retrieved from the site during the day.

Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Director General Y. Nagi Reddy said despite adverse weather conditions and heavy rain, search operations had been ongoing without pause. “As per factory records, six workers are still missing. We are continuing efforts to trace them,” he said.

Nearly 200 Fire Department officials, 60 personnel from the State Disaster Response Force, 30 from the National Disaster Response Force, and over 100 members from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Awareness Authority are involved. Earthmovers have been deployed to clear concrete slabs and twisted metal. “While the standard cutting and breaking tools are available, they have had limited use in such conditions,” the official said.

Mr. Reddy said that rescue operations were likely to conclude by Tuesday night, followed by a final sweep of suspected zones, which would help determine if more bodies are still trapped under the wreckage.

Meanwhile, officials of Telangana Department of Factories inspected the site on Tuesday. A senior official from the Factories Department said that the static charge and reactor pressure could both be contributing factors to the explosion. “As per our observation, the blast was triggered in the dryer of the reactor where the workers were loading wet powder. Static charge is always a possibility in such units, but the real concern is how effectively that charge is discharged. Pressure build-up in the reactor could have compounded the risk,” the official explained.

However, conclusive evidence remains elusive as the plant’s key operators and supervisors were either killed or injured in the explosion, the official noted.

The department has begun collecting data on the plant’s manufacturing procedures, machinery specifications, and employee records. “Maintenance logs and safety audits have been sought as part of a detailed inquiry. We will also question the management officials and technical heads to determine whether any procedural, human or mechanical lapses led to the tragedy,” said the official.

The factory was involved in the manufacture of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) used as a binding agent in tablets and in various industries, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.