What is the current death toll in the Telangana pharma unit explosion?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Explosion at pharmaceutical unit in Telangana resulted in 36 fatalities.
- Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities continue to search for victims.
- Majority of victims were migrant workers.
- Government has established a committee to investigate the incident.
- Eyewitness accounts describe the explosion's devastating impact.
Hyderabad, July 1 (NationPress) The fatalities in the explosion at a pharmaceutical facility located in Pashamylaram, near Hyderabad, have tragically risen to 36 as of Tuesday.
As more injured individuals succumbed to their injuries in hospitals and rescue teams recovered additional bodies from the rubble, the death toll has escalated significantly since Monday.
This incident marks the most severe industrial disaster in Telangana, with the potential for the casualty figure to increase as rescue operations continue in the debris of a three-story building that collapsed due to the blast.
A powerful explosion had shaken the Sigachi Industries Limited pharmaceutical plant in the Pashamylaram industrial zone of Sangareddy district, situated approximately 50 km from Hyderabad, early Monday morning.
The blast, which occurred in the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying unit, also left over 30 workers injured, with several in critical condition.
Rescue personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) continued to clear the debris.
The majority of the victims were migrant laborers from states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
At the time of the explosion, approximately 108 workers were present at the factory, and the blast was reportedly audible from five kilometers away. The explosion ignited a large fire, necessitating the deployment of 15 fire engines to extinguish the flames.
Witnesses reported that the force of the explosion was so intense that workers were thrown into the air and landed several meters away.
Four of the deceased have been identified as Jaganmohan, Ram Singh, Shashibhushan Kumar, and Laganjeet.
Due to the condition of some victims, with bodies either shattered or charred beyond recognition, authorities are conducting DNA tests to confirm identities.
Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha and Labour Minister G. Vivek revisited the accident site on Tuesday morning.
Director General of Police Jitender and other senior officials also arrived to oversee the rescue and relief efforts.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is expected to visit the site later today and will also meet with injured individuals at a government hospital.
The state has formed a high-level committee to investigate the disaster and its causes, consisting of the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management), Principal Secretaries (Labour and Health), and Additional DGP (Fire Services).
The committee is tasked with providing recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.