At least 39 people have been confirmed dead following a devastating explosion and fire at a chemical factory operated by Sigachi Industries in the southern Indian state of Telangana, authorities said on Tuesday. The deadly incident, which occurred on Monday, also left 34 others injured and more than two dozen bodies remain unidentified.
According to officials, over 140 workers were inside the plant at the time of the blast, which resulted in a complete building collapse. Rescue operations are ongoing as emergency teams continue to clear debris in hopes of locating any remaining victims.
“We are still clearing the debris,” said GV Narayana Rao, Director of Telangana’s Fire Disaster Response Emergency Services. “Only once the clearing is complete will we know if any bodies remain trapped underneath.”
The Telangana state government has set up a five-member committee to investigate the cause of the explosion. However, Sigachi Industries has not yet disclosed any details regarding the circumstances that led to the incident.
Sigachi, a listed company known for manufacturing microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), serves pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and specialty chemical industries across global markets including the U.S. and Australia. The MCC produced at the Telangana facility is used in products such as low-calorie foods, cosmetics, and as a stabiliser in pharmaceuticals.
The facility accounts for over 25% of the company’s total annual production capacity of 21,700 million metric tons. Following the explosion, Sigachi announced a 90-day shutdown of the affected plant, citing significant damage to both equipment and structural infrastructure. The company confirmed the site is fully insured and that it has initiated insurance claims.
In response to the tragedy, Sigachi’s stock dropped nearly 6% on Tuesday, marking its steepest two-day decline since the company’s listing in 2021.
In a separate but similarly tragic event, a fire at a firecracker factory in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, claimed the lives of five individuals and injured four more. The region, a major hub for fireworks manufacturing, has seen multiple such accidents in recent years.
These back-to-back incidents have renewed concerns over industrial safety standards and regulatory enforcement in hazardous manufacturing sectors across India. Authorities in both states have pledged thorough investigations, while labour rights groups have called for stricter safety protocols and improved working conditions for factory employees.
