Suspected temperature surge in spray dryer led to Telangana factory explosion
A major explosion at Sigachi Industries's pharma plant in Telangana's Pashamylaram killed at least 36 people and injured several more on Monday morning.
The blast happened in the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) drying unit around 9:20am destroying a three-story building and throwing workers as far as 100 meters away.
Many of the workers present were migrant laborers from states like Odisha and Bihar.
Compensation for victims' families
Officials are investigating if the explosion was triggered by extreme heat—up to 800°C—in the spray dryer, possibly due to poor maintenance.
Sigachi Industries has paused operations for 90 days to fix damages and is cooperating with authorities.
Telangana's Chief Minister announced ₹1 crore compensation for families of those who died and ₹10 lakh for seriously injured workers, with all medical costs covered by the government and company.
Rescue teams are still searching for missing workers.