Two Dead, Nine Injured in Pharma Unit Reactor Blast at Dothigudem

Two workers were killed and nine others suffered injuries after a reactor exploded and triggered a major fire at Hazelo Lab in Dothigudem village of Pochampally mandal, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, late on Friday night.

The incident took place at 10:27 pm during the night shift at the active pharma ingredients and bulk drug intermediates manufacturing unit, located about 50 km from Hyderabad. Twelve workers were on duty inside the one-storeyed facility when the reactor exploded, trapping several personnel as flames spread through the premises.

The deceased were identified as Chennu Nagi Reddy, 31, a resident of Chinnagudem village in Nalgonda district, and Naganaboina Naresh Kumar, 29, of Choudaram in Khammam district.

According to Pochampally sub-inspector J Jagan, a Dial 100 call alerted emergency teams, after which fire tenders from the Choutuppal, Bhongir, and Hayathnagar fire stations were dispatched to the site. Firefighters fought the blaze for several hours, concluding rescue and firefighting operations in the early hours of Saturday. The final fire services vehicle left the premises at around 4 am.

Nine injured workers were rescued from the unit and admitted to two private hospitals for treatment. Five workers—Ranabothu Rajashekar Reddy from Suryapet, Sri Hari Meda from NTR district, Chennareddy Shiva Kumar Reddy from Chatrinaka in Hyderabad, Marella Yohan from Guntur, and Vedula Chenna Keshavulu from Khammam—were admitted to the first facility. Rajashekar and Keshavulu were reported to be in critical condition.

Four other injured workers—Yesudas Kambampati from Nagarkurnool district, D Shiva Shankar from Nalgonda district, Saketi Ganesh from Vizianagaram, and Pentyala Ravi from Choutuppal—were admitted to a second hospital.

The blast caused panic across Dothigudem as loud explosions sent residents out of their homes, while dense smoke and chemical fumes spread through the area. Senior police and fire officials visited the facility to oversee the emergency response.

Police have registered a case against the management of the pharmaceutical company under sections 106(1), 125(A), 287, 288, and 289 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators are probing the cause of the explosion and examining whether the unit adhered to required safety protocols.