At least 36 people have died and dozens more have been injured following a devastating explosion and fire at a pharmaceutical factory in southern India.
The incident occurred Monday afternoon at a facility operated by Sigachi Industries, located approximately 50 kilometers from Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana state, News.Az reports, citing foreign sources.
The explosion originated in the factory’s spray dryer unit, an area used to convert raw materials into powder during drug manufacturing, triggering a large-scale fire and structural collapse.
According to Telangana’s Health and Medical Cabinet Minister, Damodar Raja Narasimha, the condition of the remains has made identification difficult. “The condition of the bodies is such that we’ve had to deploy a specialised medical team to carry out DNA tests,” he said on Tuesday.
Authorities have confirmed that 34 bodies were pulled from the rubble, while two more workers died in hospital from their injuries. Another 36 individuals are currently hospitalized with severe burns and other injuries, officials said.
GV Narayana Rao, Director of Telangana’s fire services, told the Associated Press that the entire structure had collapsed during the blaze. "The fire is under control and we’re continuing to clear the rubble in case more people are trapped," he stated.
Out of the 36 confirmed dead, 25 bodies are still unidentified, according to district official P Pravinya.
More than 140 workers were believed to be on-site when the blast occurred. Residents in nearby villages reported hearing the explosion from several kilometers away.
A government panel has been established to investigate the cause of the explosion, which has reignited concerns over industrial safety in India’s fast-growing pharmaceutical sector. The country is a major global supplier of affordable medicines and vaccines, yet safety lapses and fatal accidents remain a persistent issue, particularly in facilities handling hazardous materials.
As emergency crews continue recovery operations, families of the victims await answers in what is now one of the deadliest industrial accidents in recent years in the region.
