SANGAREDDY: The death toll in the devastating blast at Sigachi Industries in Pashamylaram rose to 44, with two more persons — Akhilesh and Arif — succumbing to their injuries while undergoing treatment on Tuesday. Meanwhile, search operations are underway to trace the eight individuals still missing since the explosion.
District Collector P Pravinya and Superintendent of Police (SP) Paritosh supervised the segregation and sifting of debris at the factory premises.
NDMA visits accident site
Representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) visited the accident site on Tuesday and launched a formal investigation. The four-member team inspected every corner of the facility for nearly four hours — from 10 am to 2 pm — and later held a meeting with officials.
Pravinya made a PowerPoint presentation outlining the timeline from the day of the accident till date, highlighting the rescue efforts and measures taken by the state government. Based on the inputs from officials and interactions with industry representatives, the NDMA team concluded, at a preliminary level, that the fire was triggered by inadequate safety protocols.
They also sought details regarding the establishment of the unit, number of employees, and how many were present at the time of the incident. The team expressed serious concern over the high number of casualties.
Submitting reports from various departments, the collector informed the NDMA that many bodies were handed over to family members only after forensic identification, as several had been charred beyond recognition.
District officials added that 61 workers had escaped the blaze unharmed, and rescue efforts were launched immediately after the explosion.
Search ops continue
What has been causing anguish to the families of those who are still missing in the Sigachi tragedy is that Wednesday marks the 10th day since the accident occurred and it is the day they have to perform the final rituals to their loved if the authorities confirm they are no more.
When Additional Collector Chandrasekhar visited the control room, the relatives of the eight missing workers — who have been waiting there for nine days — appealed to him to hand over the asthi kalashas of their loved ones so they could perform the last rites according to their customs. They also expressed disappointment that, despite being told the search was ongoing, there had been no concrete development.
“I understand your pain and emotions. We are continuing search operations to gather at least minimal evidence of the missing persons. I will convey your concerns to the collector,” Chandrasekhar assured them.