Telangana Chemical Factory Blast Death Toll Rises to 34; Rescue Ops Continue

The death toll from Monday’s massive explosion at a chemical factory in Telangana’s Pashamylaram rose to 34 on Tuesday, according to officials cited by PTI. Initial reports had put the number of casualties at 12.

“Several bodies were found under the debris during clearance. So far, 31 bodies have been recovered from the rubble, while three others died during treatment in hospital,” said District Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj. He added that the final phase of the rescue operation is still ongoing.

CM, Governor Respond to Tragedy

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is expected to visit the site Tuesday morning, while Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma expressed deep sorrow over the incident. The governor also spoke with Labour Department Principal Secretary M. Dan Kishore and urged full support for the victims and their families.

Blast Details and Aftermath

The explosion, suspected to have originated from a reactor, tore through Sigachi Chemical Industry’s plant on Monday, triggering a massive fire and collapse of the industrial shed.

State Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha said about 90 employees were present at the time. “The force of the blast was so strong that some workers were thrown nearly 100 meters away,” he told reporters, citing witness accounts.

Cause Still Under Investigation

While the exact cause is yet to be confirmed, authorities believe a chemical reaction may have led to the explosion. Rescue and firefighting teams from the NDRF, HYDRAA, and Telangana Fire Disaster Response units continued operations at the site on Tuesday.

The tragedy has prompted widespread mourning and demands for greater industrial safety measures across the state.