In photos: Telangana factory blast leaves trail of devastation

A massive explosion at Sigachi Industries in Medak killed at least 15 workers and injured 35, including 12 critically. Authorities fear the toll may rise as more workers are trapped.

Initial findings suggest a dryer malfunction in the plant’s quality control unit caused the explosion. The force reduced a multi-storey building to rubble within seconds.

The deceased and injured include workers from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, most of whom had reported for work around 9:20 am.

Rescue efforts were hampered as the vice president handling attendance was missing, making it hard to confirm how many were inside the building at the time of the blast.

The explosion also damaged adjacent structures, including the HR block and compound wall. Debris and fire spread rapidly, crushing and burning many workers instantly.

Due to the severity of the fire and structural collapse, many victims’ bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Only four bodies had been identified as of late Monday evening.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced ₹2 lakh compensation for each deceased worker's family and ₹50,000 for the injured. Rescue operations are ongoing.