The death toll in the fire and explosion at Sigachi Industries Ltd’s manufacturing unit in Pashamylaram near Hyderabad rose to 42 on Sunday. Two of the injured workers succumbed while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Patancheru on Sunday.
Sigachi Industries, in a statement on Sunday night, said that it is saddened to share the loss of two more team members since July 4, taking the death toll to 42. Of the 33 injured team members, 14 have now recovered and been discharged from the hospital, while 18 continue to be under medical attention in various hospitals, it said.
Eight team members are still missing. Of the 143 members present on-site during the time of the accident, 61 are safe, the company statement added. Setup in 1989, Sigachi Industries’ Pashamylaram plant has been incident-free for 36 years.
It is an ISO 45001:2018 certified facility and follows stringent safety and compliance measures. “Since the time of the accident, we have been coordinating the emergency response, family support, and extending cooperation with the investigation and compliance efforts,” the company said.
A major explosion occurred in the manufacturing plant of Sigachi Industries at Pashamylaram, Patancheru Mandal, Sangareddy district on June 30. The plant manufactures Microcrystalline Cellulose powder, which is used in tablets and capsules as a binding agent.
Rescue teams found 30 pieces of human remains at the site, and they were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Hyderabad, for DNA analysis. According to officials at Patancheru Government Hospital, of the 24 DNA samples collected so far, 22 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families.
The deceased hailed from Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Authorities are sending the bodies in ambulances to their native places with police escort. Two police constables are accompanying each body.
Personnel from Fire Services, SDRF, HYDRAA and police continued combing through the debris for human remains. Officials said they will continue the operation till they find all remains.
Sigachi Industries has already announced Rs 1 crore compensation each to the families of the deceased. It also announced that it would bear all the expenditure towards the treatment of the injured and provide them all the support.