Procedural lapse suspected in Yadadri propellant unit blast, PESO launches probe
A suspected lapse in standard operating procedures may have triggered the deadly explosion at Premier Explosives Limited in Katepalli village, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, on Tuesday evening, senior officials from the Telangana Factories Department said. The blast killed three workers and left at least six others injured, five of whom remain in critical condition.
The incident was reported on Tuesday evening in the propellant mixing unit of the facility when two powerful propellants, including hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and dioctyl Adipate (DOA), were being mixed. The force of the blast brought down the entire structure, reducing it to rubble within minutes.
'Even slight deviations in operating protocols such as the quantity of propellant used, the mixing method, or environmental factors — can result in an explosion like this,' a senior official from the Factories Department told The Hindu.
Preliminary inspections revealed no structural deficiencies in the plant. 'The facility undergoes regular checks for physical infrastructure issues. This incident appears to have stemmed purely from procedural errors during operations. A detailed probe will be conducted by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO),' the official added.
Officials from PESO, based in Pune, the Telangana State Forensic Science Laboratory, the Department of Labour, and other agencies have since inspected the blast site and initiated detailed investigation.
The condition of five injured workers remains critical as they are undergoing treatment in Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad. As per the information shared by the hospital, Srikanth Barla, 35, Srikanth Rajaboina, 32 and Mahesh Yadav Nalla, 27 with 80%, 75% and 30% thermal burns respectively are on ventilator support, Lingaswamy Bugga, 30, with 25% burns and other injuries is under observation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Mahesh Salendra, 21, with soft injury is in the general ward.
Meanwhile, routine operations have resumed in other units of the facility, which remain unaffected by the blast. Premier Explosives Ltd. has long been engaged in the manufacture of explosives for both commercial purposes and strategic clients, including the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). According to the company's official website, it supplies solid propellants for some high-profile missile systems such as Akash, Astra, and LRSAM, developed by the DRDO.
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