At least 12 persons were killed and 35 others were injured on Monday after an explosion at a drying unit triggered a fire at a chemical factory near Hyderabad, The Hindu reported.

The blast took place at Sigachi Industries Private Limited, located in the Pashamylaram industrial area.

The fire caused part of the building to collapse, trapping workers under the debris.

The explosion was reported to the fire control room at 9.37 am, The Hindu reported.

Emergency teams, including 11 fire department vehicles, were deployed to the scene. Efforts are underway to locate any remaining trapped persons.

Fire department officials said all the injured workers have been taken to hospitals in the vicinity.

Initial reports suggested that the blast occurred inside a reactor at the factory. However, the Director General of the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Y Nagireddy later told ANI that the fire occurred at a drying unit of the plant.

A detailed investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the incident and to assess whether safety norms were followed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh will be paid from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of those who died. Those who suffered injuries will be given Rs 50,000 each, he said.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy told officials to ensure that the injured persons receive appropriate medical treatment, and said that the government was committed to supporting the affected families.

Sigachi Industries specialises in pharma excipients, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and food ingredients. Following the blast, the company’s stock on the Bombay Stock Exchange fell sharply by over 9%, trading at Rs 47.89 by 1 pm.