The death toll in the explosion at the Saatchi Pharma factory in Telangana reached 36 on Tuesday, as family members and relatives of those reportedly missing since the blast spent anxious hours hoping for good news. While the death toll was 14 on Monday night, more bodies were recovered from the rubble on Tuesday as rescue operations progressed. A large portion of the three-storey factory was reduced to rubble after the explosion, which makes the discovery of the deceased difficult. Earthmovers are being used to remove debris, along with shovels used by State Disaster Response Force rescuers.
Eleven people are still declared missing, while several families continue to oscillate between hope and despair, as 25 bodies remain unidentified.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also visited the site on Tuesday morning and announced a compensation of ₹1 crore, to be paid jointly by Saatchi and the state government to the family members of each deceased. A compensation of ₹10 lakh will be given to those critically injured, while ₹5 lakh will be given to those suffering partial burns. Rescue teams suggest that several people are suffering from 50% burn injuries, which is critical.
The Chief Minister also met the family members of the deceased and said that inspections will be held at various industrial units to check whether they have complied with safety standards. “A report will be submitted, and action will be taken against those responsible for business lapses,” said the CM.
The factory where the explosion took place was last inspected in December 2024. Officials suggest that at the time of the inspection, no faults were found at the facility, and the pharma factory seemed to fulfil all the parameters, according to B. Raja Gopal Rao, the Director of Factories.
The suspected cause of the explosion is pressure building up inside the spray dryer, which was being operated on the ground floor of the factory. For the time being, a case has been registered by Telangana Police against the company management under sections for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and voluntarily causing grievous hurt.
Saatchi Chemicals manufactures what is called MCC, or microcrystalline cellulose, from wood pulp. It is used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical capsules.
