HYDERABAD: The death toll in the Sigachi Industries blast rose to 39 on Friday after Bhimrao Vittal Kandhare, working as a helper with the company, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Patancheru.

The 24-year-old from Maharashtra had suffered 80% burns in the June 30 explosion at the chemical factory in Sangareddy. He had been on ventilator support since then. Another Sigachi employee, B Hema Sunder (44), had died due to severe head injury and around 35% burns earlier this week at a hospital in Madinaguda.One patient's condition relatively stable

"Another 24 are undergoing treatment at different hospitals of which 12 are in ICU.

While 11 are critical, one started responding to treatment on Friday morning. His condition is relatively stable," said Dr Srinivas Reddy, superintendent, Patancheru hospital. Initially, 35 workers had been hospitalised with injuries; 11 have been discharged. "Nine workers, suspected to be inside the factory at the time of the accident, are still missing," said Sangareddy district collector, P Pravinya.Revenue officials said efforts are on to trace them and also identify seven more bodies.

"So far, 34 bodies have been identified and handed over the families. Identification of the remaining 5 bodies and dismembered remains retrieved from the accident site are yet to be established," an official said.On Friday, the national disaster response force (NDRF) and state disaster response force (SDRF) teams found six more body parts from debris, taking the count to 25. "We have collected 37 blood samples from relatives who are waiting for updates on their family members.

These have been sent for DNA profiling to the forensic science laboratory. We are hoping the results will help establish the identity of the other deceased," said Dr Reddy.Meanwhile rescue operations continued for the fifth day with NDRF and SDRF teams clearing the debris from the site and dumping it at an open industrial land around 200 metres away, to thoroughly check through the wreckage. "The work is almost complete and the chances of finding any more bodies are bleak," said Paritosh Pankaj, superintendent of police, Sangareddy. He added: "A team each from SDRF and NDRF are still stationed at the site as a precautionary measure in case of any further developments. The rescue teams will continue the search until the details of the missing are found."Experts committees visit factory blast site Members of the two committees set up by the govt - one comprising experts and the other with senior bureaucrats - visited the site of the accident in Sangareddy on Friday.

Speaking to TOI later, an experts committee member said that they will be submitting an interim report to the govt in the next two to three days. "We have already visited the site. We have asked for some technical data from the company. Soon, we will be submitting an interim report," said the member.

The panel is headed by Dr B Venkateshwar Rao, emeritus scientist at CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad, and includes Dr T Pratap Kumar (chief scientist, CSIR-IICT), Dr Suryanarayana (retired scientist, CSIR-CLRI, Chennai), and Dr Santosh Ghuge (CSIR-NCL, Pune).The other high-level expert committee led by Telangana chief secretary Ramakrishna Rao includes special chief secretary for disaster management Arvind Kumar, principal secretary of the labour dept Dana Kishore, health secretary Christina Z Chongthu and additional director general of fire services, Y Nagi Reddy. Some of the members, accompanied by district collector P Pravinya and SP Pankaj, visited the site on Friday.

Representatives of Sigachi company were also present.The committee members also inquired about the reactors, dryers, fire fighting system, employee protection methods, and other safety issues in the industry. They also visited the nearby rehabilitation centre set up and spoke to the family members of the victims. Later, Rao said financial aide will be provided to the families of the deceased and the injured soon as announced by CM Revanth Reddy."We will submit a report to the govt in a week about the necessary safety protocol that needs to be implemented in such industries to ensure such an incident does not occur again. ," one of the committee members told TOI.