On June 30, an explosion followed by a fire at a pharmaceutical factory in the southern Indian state of Telangana killed at least 39 people and injured about three dozen more.
The plant, operated by Sigachi Industries, manufactures microcrystalline cellulose, a compound widely used in pharmaceutical production. While the company has not revealed the cause of the incident, it reported significant damage to its core manufacturing infrastructure and announced that operations will be suspended for 90 days.
Industrial accidents like this one serve as reminders of how quickly things can go wrong. From chemical blasts to structural failures, history is full of examples of tragic disasters that have claimed lives and left lasting scars. Click on and take a look at this gallery of some truly dreadful disasters that have claimed lives and injured many others.