Says Sigachi Ordered to Stop Manufacturing

Hyderabad: The factories department on Thursday stated that it had issued prohibitory orders to Sigachi Industries to stop manufacturing activities at its disaster-hit plant at Pashamylaram on the city outskirts, and would issue a showcause notice to the management after the completion of enquiries into the June 30 explosion that has claimed over 45 lives so far in that is now the worst industrial disaster in the country.

In its report on the incident, the department said that the accident had occurred because of an explosion of the spray drier, and cited multiple reasons for what could have caused it.

The department stated that the toll was high because of “congested premises” of the production block that were overcrowded with workers from a shift change. Factory manager E. Elangovan, who had arrived at the plant minutes before the accident to take a quality review, also died in the blast, the report said.

Sigachi Industries in Pashamylaram manufactures micro crystalline cellulose powder, (MCCP), which is used in pharmaceuticals as a binder for tablets.

The report stated that at the time of the explosion and fire accident, 143 people were inside the premises. It said 39 people, including manager Elangovan died in to the explosion, and 34 people sustained injuries. Nine people are still listed missing. More people died while undergoing treatment for their injuries.

DNA tests were performed on the victims’ bodies to identify them and hand over their remains to their relatives. Most of the victims were from other states. There have been claims that not all victims’ families have been compensated for the loss of their loved ones.

Due to the explosion, half of the MCCP manufacturing building collapsed, while the remaining half of the building sustained extreme damage. The factories department could not verify the equipment layout due to the near-destruction of the building.

The report said that the industry got its revised plans approved from the factories director in December of 2021, and had approvals for hot air generator sheds, raw material store sheds, ETP expansion and packing section in the existing MCCP plant building.

The Sigachi management also got approval for three fluidised bed driers in the compressor room, which were not installed, secondary drier, sprayer drier chamber, blender, glass line reactors, paper cutting machines and several other manufacturing appliances.

The government had formed an expert committee, which began its independent probe on July 3 and is expected to submit recommendations on preventing such accidents in industries.

The report stated the factories department was planning on holding a safety awareness programme and conduct state-wide inspections of chemical and bulk drug units using a self-certification checklist.

GFX

Factories department in its report says the disaster at Sigachi Industries on June 30 was triggered by an explosion in the spray drier unit.

It proposed several reasons for the accident

· Static charge generation.

· Overheating of the micro crystalline cellulose powder (MCCP), the product being manufactured at the plant, beyond its ignition temperature.

· Wet material getting jammed at the discharge outlet causing pressure build-up

· Potential trace of hydrogen peroxide or ammonia vapour.

· Failure of the ID fan which could increase pressure in the drier.

The impact

Half the manufacturing facility collapsed in the blast.

143 people inside the premises at time of the explosion.

39 people, including manager Elangovan, died.

Six others died while undergoing treatment for their injuries.

34 people sustained injuries.

Nine people are still listed missing.

Most of the victims were from other states.

DNA tests performed on the victims’ bodies to identify them.

Not all victims’ families have been compensated.