At least ten workers were killed and more than 20 others injured after a powerful reactor explosion ripped through a chemical factory in Pashamilaram, Sangareddy district of Telangana, on June 30. The blast triggered an enormous fire that engulfed major sections of the Sigachi Chemical Industry, leaving a trail of destruction, panic, and loss in its wake.
According to initial reports from local authorities and eyewitnesses, the explosion was so intense that it threw workers up to 100 meters away, some landing near tents erected on-site. Many workers are feared to have been trapped under debris or caught in the spreading flames, even as firefighters continue rescue and containment efforts.
The reactor explosion occurred around mid-morning, causing an immediate fire that spread rapidly through the facility. Thick black smoke rose over the industrial belt of Pashamilaram, prompting panic in nearby areas and triggering a rapid emergency response.
Over 11 fire engines from Sangareddy and Hyderabad were dispatched to the site. Rescue teams and local police are currently working to locate and extract survivors from the rubble, as emergency medical services transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
Senior Telangana fire officials stated that 15 to 20 individuals have sustained severe injuries, with several reported to be in critical condition. Many of the wounded have suffered extensive burns and blunt force trauma caused by the explosion’s shockwave and resulting debris.
Survivor accounts paint a horrifying picture. “It was like a bomb went off,” said one injured worker, speaking from a hospital bed. “There was a deafening noise, and then the sky turned black. I saw people flying through the air. Some never got up.”
Nearby tents housing shift workers and contractors were engulfed in flames within seconds, and many occupants did not have time to escape. Officials say that the intensity of the blast destroyed key sections of the plant’s safety infrastructure, complicating firefighting and evacuation efforts.
Local villagers and factory workers formed human chains to help carry out the injured before formal rescue teams arrived. “People were screaming for help,” said a nearby shopkeeper. “We could feel the heat from hundreds of meters away.”
District authorities and Telangana State Disaster Response officials have cordoned off the area and are monitoring air quality in the vicinity. Forensic teams and industrial safety inspectors are expected to conduct a detailed investigation into what triggered the explosion.
Initial reports suggest a pressure build-up in one of the chemical reactors may have caused the catastrophic failure, but no official cause has yet been confirmed. The Telangana government has assured that an inquiry will be conducted, and stringent action will follow if lapses in safety norms are found.
A senior police officer at the scene said, “This is one of the deadliest industrial incidents in this region in recent years. Our priority now is to save those trapped, aid the injured, and control the fire.”
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