An explosion at a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Hyderabad’s Pashamylaram industrial area claimed at least five lives on Monday morning. Emergency teams recovered the bodies of five workers from beneath the debris, while thirteen others were rescued from the rubble and rushed to nearby hospitals.
Officials from the Fire Department confirmed that several of the injured have suffered critical burn injuries. “Rescue operations are still ongoing, and we fear that more personnel might be trapped under the collapsed structure,” a senior fire officer said.
The blast occurred around 9:30 a.m. at Sigachi Industries Pvt. Ltd., a company engaged in the production of pharmaceutical excipients and food ingredients. A distress call was received by the Fire Control Room at 9:37 a.m., prompting the rapid deployment of eleven fire tenders to the site.
The explosion reportedly originated in one of the plant’s reactor units, leading to a partial collapse of the facility and triggering panic in the surrounding area.
Firefighters are continuing efforts to fully extinguish the flames and ensure the structure is safe for further search. Preliminary assessments suggest a pressure build-up inside the reactor may have led to the fatal blast.
“A detailed investigation is underway to determine the precise cause and verify if all safety protocols were being observed,” officials said.
On its website, Sigachi Industries describes itself as a leader in the field of pharma excipients, nutraceuticals, and food ingredients. The incident has also had an immediate impact on the company’s financial standing. Shares of Sigachi Industries plunged 9.89% on the Bombay Stock Exchange, trading at ₹49.72 by midday.
Authorities are expected to initiate a full safety audit of the site and are questioning company management to ascertain whether any lapses contributed to the tragedy.
