At least 39 killed in explosion at Indian pharmaceutical factory

Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - At least 39 people have been confirmed dead following an explosion and fire at Sigachi Industries’ chemical factory in Sangareddy, Telangana, southern India. Officials said on Tuesday, July 1, that the incident has forced the pharmaceutical supplier to shut operations at the plant for 90 days.

The Telangana state government has set up a five-member committee to investigate the incident. The cause of the explosion, which occurred on Monday, is yet to be disclosed by the company.

Authorities reported that 34 people were injured in the blast. “We are still clearing the debris,” said GV Narayana Rao, director of the Telangana fire disaster response service. “Once we’re done, we’ll be able to confirm if any more bodies are trapped underneath.”

Police said over 140 workers were inside the plant at the time. Twenty-five of the deceased have yet to be identified, according to district official P. Pravinya.

Chandan Gound, a 32-year-old worker who survived, described hearing what “sounded like a bomb blast” just after stepping out to use the restroom. “I came out and saw fire spreading toward me. I jumped the wall and escaped. Many inside managed to run, but a large number were trapped.”

Sigachi manufactures microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), widely used in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and specialty chemical industries across countries including the US and Australia. MCC plays a key role in drug manufacturing and is also used to prevent lumps in food, maintain cosmetic textures, and serve as a fat substitute in low-calorie foods.

The Telangana plant accounts for just over a quarter of Sigachi’s total production capacity. Following the incident, Sigachi’s shares dropped about 8%, marking their steepest two-day decline on record. The company announced that the plant is fully insured and that it has started processing insurance claims.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, five people were killed and four others injured in a massive fire at a fireworks factory in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. The area is known for repeated fire-related accidents.