Hyderabad: At least 12 workers were killed and 30 others injured in a massive reactor blast at an industrial unit in Pashamylaram near Hyderabad on Monday. 

The incident occurred in a chemical factory in the industrial area in Sangareddy district around 9 a.m.

The explosion triggered a huge fire, which engulfed the premises of Sigachi Chemicals. Firefighters rushed to the spot to douse the fire. Eleven fire engines controlled the flames.

Police, fire services and other personnel launched rescue and relief operations. Ambulances were also seen at the spot to shift the injured to hospitals.

Five workers died on the spot while three others succumbed at hospitals. Two of the deceased at a private hospital in Madinguda were identified as Abhishek Kumar (Bihar) and Nagarjit Tiwari (Odisha).

A total of 66 were working at the factory at the time of the explosion. The injured were shifted to various hospitals, and the condition of five of them was stated to be critical.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), Revenue and police were participating in rescue and relief works.

According to eye-witnesses, such was the impact of the explosion that workers were tossed in the air and fell several meters away. The manufacturing unit in the factory collapsed under the impact of the blast while fire spread to the adjoining building within the factory premises.

Migrant workers from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and other states were employed in the industrial unit.

The explosion and fire sent panic among the employees in the chemical unit and the adjoining factories. They ran out of the premises.

The rescue workers were also using earthmovers to remove the debris of the demolished structure. A worker was pulled out of the rubble and shifted to the hospital.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the accident. He directed officials to take all necessary measures to rescue the workers trapped in the incident.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, he also instructed that the injured be provided with the best possible medical treatment.

Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha visited the accident site and directed officials to intensify the rescue and relief operations.

Director General (Fire Services) B.V. Narayana also rushed to the spot.

Sangareddy District Collector P. Pravinya and Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj were supervising rescue and relief operations. (IANS)