The Telangana state government on Monday constituted a five-member committee chaired by Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao to investigate the Sigachi Industries plant explosion that killed 12 people and injured several others and to monitor the ongoing rescue operations. The committee is also to suggest steps for preventing such accidents in the future, according to an official statement.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who has been taking a look at the rescue efforts with the DGP Jitender and the Chief Secretary, is also slated to visit the site on Tuesday. Reddy was filled with shock at the ghastly accident, the release said.
The committee members are the Special Chief Secretary for Disaster Management, Principal Secretary of the Labour Department, Health Secretary, and Additional Director General of Fire Services.
Also read: 12 dead, several injured in Telangana factory explosion
What triggered the blast?
Initial suspicions are that there has been a build-up of pressure in the plant's drying unit. Y Nagi Reddy, Director General of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services, elaborated, "Industrial experts are saying that something may have happened while drying or handling process, the pressure may have got built up followed by the blasting of the material which also blasted the whole handling unit as well as the industrial building."
Debris removal continues on the site, and authorities suspect that some of the workers are still buried under the debris.
Out of the total almost 35 injured individuals, more than 10 are in a critical state and have been put on ventilator support because of major burns."Due to the burns, their respiratory system was strained," the minister added, stating that 22 others were stable and the government was optimistic they would recover soon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also voiced profound sorrow over the tragedy and declared ₹2 lakh ex-gratia for the next of kin of those who lost their lives and ₹50,000 to the injured.
He wrote in a post on X, "Deeply pained by the loss of lives resulting from an accident at an industrial unit in Sangareddy, Telangana. Condolences to the grieving families. The injured should recover as soon as possible."
Chief Minister Reddy also instructed officials to set rescue and medical work as top priority, and ensured ex-gratia and interim relief will be provided to the families of the victims.
Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president KT Rama Rao lashed out at the Congress government over its indifference to the victims of tragic industrial fire in Pashamylaram of Sangareddy district on Monday.
As per the website, Sigachi Industries Limited is involved in the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), intermediates, excipients, and vitamin-mineral combinations. The company released a statement lamenting the loss of lives, "The company deeply regrets the loss of lives and offers sincere condolences to the families of the victims. The company is providing all possible assistance to the affected ones." It has also been learnt that the plant would remain shut for 90 days.
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