Death toll in India factory blast rises to 42

The death toll in the Sigachi Industries’ pharma plant explosion in Sangareddy, Hyderabad, has risen to 42, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.

It noted that the number is likely to increase as more bodies are being retrieved from the rubble. 

Earlier today, Paritosh Pankaj, Sangareddy SP had confirmed 34 deaths to ANI.

An explosion and fire at a pharmaceutical factory in India’s southern state of Telangana killed at least 12 people and injured several others, authorities said Monday.

The fire department recovered the charred bodies of 10 workers in an industrial area about 50 kilometres from the state capital, Hyderabad, the state’s fire services director, GV Narayana Rao, told the Associated Press.

Two other workers succumbed to burns and were pronounced dead at a hospital, Rao said, adding that debris of the gutted pharmaceutical unit of Sigachi Industries was being removed to find out if any more workers were trapped. Nearly three dozen injured workers were admitted to hospitals, he said.

“It was an explosion in a spray dryer unit of the factory, which is used to process raw material into fine powder for making drugs,” Rao said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a social media post, expressed his anguish over the loss of lives and announced financial support of ₹2 lakhs each to the next of kin.

(With inputs from ANI, AP)