Five workers were killed, four on the spot, and one was severely injured in a boiler explosion at the TIL Healthcare facility, a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit catering to exports, within the Sri City Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Satyavedu mandal of Tirupati district at 8 a.m. on Saturday (October 3, 2026). The exact reason for the accident was not yet known.
The deceased were identified as Gourab Roy (35) of West Bengal, Chinna Mastan (48) of Cheviri village in Andhra Pradesh, Ramesh (52) of Madharapakkam in Tamil Nadu, Mohan (28), the boiler operator and a native of Naidukuppam in Tamil Nadu, and Vasu (32) of Tada in Andhra Pradesh.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu responded immediately to the incident and directed the district administration to provide all possible support to the victims and expedite relief operations.
Upon receiving information, District Collector S. Venkateswar and Superintendent of Police L. Subbarayudu, along with other officials, reached the site to oversee the relief efforts.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav also spoke to District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Balakrishna Naik over the phone and directed him to ensure that the injured received quality medical treatment.
Speaking over the phone with Tirupati District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr. Balakrishna Naik, he told the Minister, he came to know that the emergency response teams, medical personnel, and other local officials had reached the site after the accident and initiated the relief measures.
The DMHO further said that while Gourab (35) from West Bengal, Chinna Mastan (48), Ramesh (52) from the Cheruvu and Madarapakkam areas in A.P., and Mohan died on the spot, Vasu died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Chennai at the scene of the accident.
He further told the Minister that explained that the bodies of Gourab and Mohan were shifted to the Sullurpeta Government Hospital, while those of Chinna Mastan and Ramesh were moved to the Satyavedu Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
He informed the Health Minister that Mohan (28), a native of Naidukuppam in Tamil Nadu, had been working as a boiler operator at the company and succumbed while undergoing treatment. His body had been shifted to Sullurpeta Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The other deceased, who was identified as Vasu (32), from Tada, was first shifted to a Hospital in Chennai for advanced care, but he also succumbed to injuries.
The DMHO also further explained that a woman, Krishnaveni (38), who sustained a leg injury, was treated at the accident site and her condition was stable. She received emergency treatment on-site, and her condition is currently stable. Two other workers. He added that Ramu and Lakshmamma, who were also present at the accident scene during the accident, did not sustain any injuries and were found to be safe following medical examinations.
Meanwhile, the District Collector announced an ex gratia compensation of ₹50 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased persons, which he said would be paid in a couple of days. per family would be provided to the families of the deceased within the next two days.
The Sri City SEZ management committed itself to bearing the educational expenses of the children of the deceased. Eligible family members of the deceased would also be provided employment within Sri City, the Collector said.
In addition to registering a preliminary case against those responsible, a special team, comprising senior officials from the Boiler, Factories, Industries, and Police departments, had been constituted to inquire into the incident. Strict action would be taken against those responsible based on the inquiry report, the Collector said.
Tirupati Boiler Inspector suspended
Orders were also issued to suspend the Tirupati Boiler Inspector for negligence in discharging his duties, he said, while noting that this was the first such accident in Sri City since its inception. He further said that instructions were also issued to immediately conduct a third-party safety audit across all the industries in Sri City to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
TIL promises assistance
Meanwhile, addressing the media, TIL Director Ajay Kumar said, “We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident and the tragic loss of our colleagues. We are committed to fully cooperating with the government authorities and all concerned agencies in conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident.”
“At this difficult time, our immediate priority is to support the affected employees and their families, and we will extend all necessary assistance to them. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety across our operations,” Mr. Ajay Kumar added.
“This is the first such incident in Sri City’s 18-year history. Comprehensive safety audits have been conducted after the recent Visakhapatnam boiler incident, with continued safety monitoring. Our teams are working to ensure that every possible support reaches those affected,” said Ravindra Sannareddy, Managing Director, Sri City.