Tirupati Boiler Blast: 5 Dead, 10 Critical at Sri City Pharma Unit
A boiler explosion at a Sri City pharma unit in Tirupati has killed five and critically injured 10. The victims have been identified. The Andhra Pradesh Home Minister is expected to visit the site, while the Minister of Human Resource Development has expressed condolences and promised support.
A powerful boiler explosion at a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in Sri City, Tirupati, has left at least five people dead and 10 others critically injured. The blast occurred at the formulations facility of TIL Healthcare within the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Satyavedu mandal, Andhra Pradesh and was reported at around 8:00 AM IST on Saturday.
About the Tirupati Boiler Blast
The explosion caused extensive damage at the factory triggering a fire and causing a partial collapse of the building's roof that briefly trapped workers under fallen debris. Videos circulating on social media show a large pile of debris spread across the premises. Police, fire brigades, and emergency teams reached the site soon after the incident, suppressed the flames, and began rescue operations with personnel assessing the damage as the work continued. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals in Sri City while critical patients were transferred to specialized care facilities in Chennai, where they are receiving medical attention.
According to Andhra Pradesh Police, the cause of the explosion has not been determined. Officials are examining whether it resulted from a technical fault in the boiler or another factor. The sequence of events leading to the blast remains unclear, though the explosion struck as morning-shift workers were entering and night-shift personnel were finishing their duties.
Read more about the blast here.
About the Investigations at Sri City Pharma Unit
Officials have identified three of the deceased as Gourab Roy (35), Chinna Mastan (36) and Ramesh (40). The identity of another victim is yet to be established. Vasu (36), who was critically injured in the blast, reportedly died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Chennai.
The number of workers inside the unit at the time of the explosion is yet to be ascertained, though overall staffing was lower than usual due to the holiday on Gandhi Jayanti the previous day. Authorities are collecting details to establish the circumstances behind the accident and the total number of people affected.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha is expected to visit the site to take stock of the situation after coordinating relief measures over the phone with Tirupati district administration officials. Nara Lokesh, Minister for Human Resources Development of Andhra Pradesh also expressed condolences and assured full state government assistance to the families of the victims.
Further details on the cause, the extent of the damage and the number of workers present are awaited as the investigation continues.
Read more about the investigations here.