Five workers died, more than 10 were injured in a boiler explosion at a Sri City SEZ facility

Five workers were killed, four on the spot and one critically injured in a boiler explosion at Tablets India Limited (TIL), a pharmaceutical export manufacturing unit, under the Sri City Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Satyavedu mandal of Tirupati district at 8:00 am on Saturday (October 3, 2026). The exact cause of the accident was not yet known.

The deceased have been identified as Gourab Roy (35) from West Bengal, Chinna Mastan (48) from Cheviri village in Andhra Pradesh, Ramesh (52) from Madharapakkam in Tamil Nadu, Mohan (28), a boiler operator and a native of Naidukuppam in Tamil Nadu and Vasu (32) from Tada.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reacted immediately to the incident and directed the district administration to extend all possible support to the victims and speed up rescue operations.

On receiving the information, District Collector S. Venkateswar and Superintendent of Police L. Subbarayudu along with other officials reached the spot to supervise the relief efforts.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav also spoke to District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Balakrishna Naik over phone and directed him to ensure that the injured get quality medical care.

Dr. Talking to Tirupati District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO), Balakrishna Naik told the minister that he has learned that rescue teams, medical personnel and other local officials have reached the spot after the accident and started rescue operations.

The DMHO further said that while Gourab (35) from West Bengal, Chinna Mastan (48), Ramesh (52) from Cheruvu and Madarapakkam areas of AP and Mohan died on the spot, Vasu died while undergoing treatment at a Chennai hospital at the accident site.

He further told the minister that he explained that the bodies of Gourab and Mohan were taken to the Sullurpet Government Hospital while the bodies of Chinna Mastan and Ramesh were taken to the Satyavedu Government Hospital for post-mortem examination.

He informed the health minister that Mohan (28), a native of Naidukuppam in Tamil Nadu, was working as a boilermaker in the company and had succumbed to treatment. His body was taken to Sullurpeta Government Hospital for postmortem. The second deceased, who was identified as Vasu (32), from Tada, was first taken to a hospital in Chennai for advanced care, but also succumbed to his injuries.

The DMHO further explained that the woman, Krishnaveni (38), who sustained leg injuries, was treated at the scene of the accident and her condition was stabilized. She was treated at the scene and her condition is currently stable. Two other workers. He added that Ramu and Lakshmamma, who were also present at the accident site during the accident, did not sustain any injuries and were found safe after medical examinations.

Meanwhile, the District Collector announced an ex gratia compensation of ₹ 50 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, which he said would be paid in a few days. per family will be provided to the families of the deceased within the next two days.

The SEZ management of Sri City has undertaken to bear the expenses for the education of the children of the deceased. Eligible family members of the deceased would also get employment in Sri City, the Collector said.

Besides registering a preliminary case against those responsible, a special team comprising senior officials from the boiler, factories, industries and police departments has been constituted to investigate the incident. Based on the inquiry report, strict action will be taken against those responsible, the Collector said.

Tirupati Boiler Inspector Suspended

Orders have also been issued to suspend the Tirupati Boiler Inspector for negligence in the discharge of his duties, he said, noting that this was the first such accident in Sri City since its inception. He further said that instructions have also been issued for immediate third party safety audit of all industries in Sri City to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.

TIL promises to help

Meanwhile, TIL director Ajay Kumar told the media, “We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident and the tragic loss of our colleagues. We are determined to fully cooperate with government authorities and all agencies concerned in conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident.”

“During this difficult time, our immediate priority is to support the affected employees and their families and we will provide them with all necessary assistance. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety in our operations,” added Ajay Kumar.

“This is the first such incident in the 18-year history of Sri City. After the recent Visakhapatnam boiler incident, comprehensive safety audits have been conducted with round-the-clock safety monitoring. Our teams are working to ensure that all possible support reaches those affected,” said Ravindra Sannareddy, Managing Director, Sri City.

Published – 03 Oct 2026 12:33 IST