Hope fades families wait in agony as Telangana factory blast toll rises to 36

Hours after a catastrophic explosion tore through the Sigachi pharma factory, reducing it to mangled debris, the grief is no longer just about numbers. Behind the rising death toll — now at 36 — are anguished families, still holding on to a sliver of hope, still waiting for word on their loved ones who vanished into the inferno.

At a makeshift identification centre and nearby hospitals, the air is thick with despair. Blood samples have been drawn for DNA testing, but answers are painfully slow. Twenty-five bodies remain unrecognizable, and 11 people are officially declared missing — a grim overlap that leaves families swinging between hope and heartbreak.

“No one has told us if he’s alive or dead,” 25-year-old Sajana, whose relative Ramesh had worked at the factory for five years was quoted as saying. “We’ve been waiting since July 1 … no answers, no clarity.”

At the government hospital in Sangareddy, relatives huddle in corridors, some waiting for names to appear on lists, others praying that they don’t. Among them is a relative of Akhilesh Kumar, a young man who joined the unit barely three months ago. “He took this job for the higher pay,” said a family member. “Now we don’t know if he’ll ever return.”

The factory’s three-storey structure was decimated by the force of the blast, and with rescue operations underway, authorities continued to unearth more bodies from beneath the rubble on July 1.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who visited the blast site and met grieving families, announced ₹1 crore in compensation — a joint payout by the company and the state — to each bereaved family. Injured survivors will receive ₹10 lakh for critical injuries and ₹5 lakh for partial burns. Officials said many victims sustained burns as high as 50%.

The CM also promised sweeping safety audits across industrial units in Telangana, with a report to be filed and “strict action” against those found guilty of violations.

Officials from the labor department claim the Sigachi facility had passed its last inspection in December 2024. “There were no faults noted at the time,” said B Raja Gopal Rao, Director of Factories. Preliminary investigations point to a pressure build-up in a spray dryer as the likely trigger for the explosion.

The factory specializes in the production of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC), a compound used in pharmaceutical capsules. A criminal case has been registered against the management under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

At the site, excavators continue their grim work, while State Disaster Response Force teams sift through the debris manually. Just a few kilometers away, the waiting room at Patancheru’s government facility has turned into a hall of tears, with families desperately scouring lists, photographs, and DNA forms.

Rama, searching for her relative Chotelal, said, “We’ve given our blood… now we wait for science to tell us who among the dead belongs to us.”

The toll extends beyond the immediate circle of victims. Bheemrao’s wife, Latha, is one among many barred from entering the ICU. “They told me he’s in there,” she said, clutching their newborn child. “But I haven't seen him. No one will confirm.”

As of July 1 night, 143 workers were confirmed to be at the facility at the time of the blast. Sixty have been marked safe; 34 are injured and under treatment. At Dhurva Hospital, doctors say several patients have inhaled toxic fumes — a longer battle now begins.

While compensation and promises have been rolled out, the silence echoing in the minds of the waiting families is far louder.

“Just tell us something,” one man whispered outside the hospital. “Anything at all.”