Bhubaneswar, July 4: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Friday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of kin of five Odia labourers who died in the massive reactor explosion that rocked a chemical factory in Telangana’s Sangareddy district.
The deceased labourers were identified as Rajnala Jagan Mohan from Ganjam, Lagnajit Duari from Cuttack’s Tigiria, Manoj Raut from Balasore, Dolagobinda Sahu from Jajpur, and Chaitu Bhatra from Nabarangpur.
On the other hand, three other Odia workers — Sameer Padhi from Ganjam, Chandan Kumar Naik from Bhadrak, and Neelambar Bhadra from Nabarangpur — were injured in the blast.
Sources said that Sameer Padhi, who suffered 35% burn injuries, is currently in the ICU but is out of danger. Chandan and Neelambar are in stable condition and receiving treatment in the general ward.
Notably, the explosion occurred at Sigachi Pharma Company in Pasamailaram Phase 1 at around 9 a.m. on Monday (June 30) and triggered a huge fire which engulfed the entire factory.
After being alerted, firefighters along with police rushed to the spot and launched rescue and relief operations. A total of eleven fire engines were pressed to service to douse the flames and bring the situation under control.
The overall death toll in the devastating mishap has reached 42.
In response to the tragedy, the Odisha government had sent a two-member team to the site to assess the situation on the ground and coordinate with local authorities.
The Office of the Special Secretary of the Odisha Paribar Department confirmed the team's deployment and offered condolences to the victims' families.
Sigachi Industries Limited, a pharmaceutical company that makes active ingredients and vitamin blends, was operating at the site when an explosion happened. The blast was so strong that parts of the building collapsed, trapping workers inside.
While the exact cause is still unknown, officials believe a reaction involving dangerous chemicals might have started the fire and explosion.
The Odisha government had dispatched a two-member team to the site for a ground-level assessment after the mishap, which claimed 42 lives.
The state’s Labour and Family Welfare Department is closely monitoring the situation and providing necessary support to the affected individuals.
