Telangana Pharma Plant Blast: DNA Tests Needed to Identify Some Victims

Hyderabad: It was a normal Monday morning for workers and employees at Sigachi Industries as they arrived at the office after the weekend.

The general shift had started at around 9 am, with workers settling into their daily duties, when the

blast occurred

at approximately 9:31 am.

The plant manager, who has yet to be identified, had entered the administrative building just minutes before the explosion. The building subsequently collapsed in the blast. "The manager also died in the blast, which is why it became difficult to understand the identity of those present on the spot and determine how many were there," said State Labour Minister G Vivek Venkata Swamy.

The blast and subsequent fire were so intense that at least six bodies require DNA profiling to establish the victims' identities. A senior revenue official said that so far only three bodies have been identified, while six were charred beyond recognition and three more await extraction from the debris.

"There is nobody from the factory side to tell us what really happened," the Labour Minister said, referring to the death of the plant manager.

SDRF teams have been deployed to clear debris and ensure no workers remain trapped. Inspector General of Police (Multizone) V Satyanarayana said the blast's impact was felt within a five-kilometer radius of the Pashamylaram area.

After the incident, Sangareddy District Collector P Pravinya and Police Superintendent Paritosh Pankaj reached the spot to supervise rescue activities.