A massive fire erupted due to a chemical explosion at the Sigachi Pharma factory in Telangana. 34 people died in the accident. The Chief Minister visited the site and ordered an investigation.
Telangana: A major accident occurred on Monday morning at the Sigachi Pharma plant located in the Pasamailaram Phase-1 industrial area of Sangareddy district, Telangana. A powerful explosion occurred in a reactor during a chemical reaction in the factory. The explosion was heard far and wide, and the entire factory was engulfed in flames within moments. Panic ensued among the employees present at the site. Some people managed to escape, but many employees were trapped inside.
34 People Died from Burns
Local administration and fire department teams managed to control the fire after hours of effort. When the debris of the factory was removed, several bodies were found buried inside. According to Sangareddy SP, Paritosh Pankaj, 31 employees were burnt alive on the spot, while 3 others died during treatment in the hospital. This is considered to be one of the biggest industrial accidents to date.
Chief Minister Visits the Site
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy visited the accident site and met the families of the victims. He has ordered a high-level investigation into the matter to the authorities. The Chief Minister, calling this accident unfortunate, assured all possible assistance to the families of the deceased. In addition, Health Minister C Damodar Raja Narasimha also inspected the site and took stock of the situation.
Videos Went Viral on Social Media
After the incident, videos of the factory fire and plumes of black smoke quickly went viral on social media. These videos clearly showed the condition of the factory and the intensity of the fire. The fire was so intense that several fire engines had to work for hours.
Negligence Suspected
Preliminary investigations revealed that safety standards were not fully followed in the factory. There was no solid system for controlling temperature and pressure during the chemical reaction. Also, there were no effective measures to evacuate employees in an emergency. In addition, the fire safety system in the factory was also inadequate. Due to all these reasons, the fire spread rapidly and caused loss of life.
Anger Among Local People
There is an atmosphere of intense tension in the area after the incident. Local people are demanding action against the factory management. Many organizations have protested and demanded strict action against the factory. The villagers say that this factory has been in the news before due to small incidents, but the administration did not take any strict action in time.
Factory Profile
Sigachi Industries is a reputed pharma company that produces chemical compounds used in the manufacture of medicines. The company has been active in Sangareddy for many years and has many national and international clients. However, serious questions have been raised about its safety arrangements after this accident.
