The death toll from the Sigachi Industries explosion increased to 42 on Sunday after Jitendra Kumar (30) from Uttar Pradesh died from his injuries.
The dismembered remains of a worker were confirmed to be Chikkan Singh, who was from Madhya Pradesh. His DNA matched with his relatives. Both individuals were operators within the production unit. With the identification of Chikkan Singh, the number of missing persons currently totals eight.
The incident took place on June 30 at Sigachi Industries Pvt. Ltd., located in the Pashamylaram industrial area in Telangana. The blast reportedly occurred in one of the reactor units of the facility, followed by a major fire and partial structural collapse.
A distress call was received by the Fire Control Room at 9.37 a.m., prompting the deployment of eleven fire tenders.
The company later stated that the accident was not caused by a reactor explosion. They said they will continue to send more updates as and when they receive information from the ongoing investigation, while the plant operations will remain temporarily suspended for approximately 90 days.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, July 2, the company confirmed that the blast on June 30 led to the deaths of 40 workers and left 33 others injured, as per PTI.
"It is with anguish that we share details of the accident that occurred at the Sigachi Industries' pharma unit in Telangana’s Sangareddy district, resulting in the loss of 40 valued team members and one that left over 33 injured," the company said in a statement.
The company further stated that, since the time of the accident, the firm has been coordinating the emergency response, family support, and extending cooperation with the investigation and compliance efforts.
