Nine workers were killed and 15 others injured after a boiler exploded at a power plant in Sakti district of Chhattisgarh state on Tuesday, police said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced it as an ex-gratia $2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and $50,000 for the injured.
Praful Thakur, Sakti police inspector, said the explosion occurred in a boiler tube at the Vedanta Power Plant Limited in Singitarai village in the afternoon. “Nine workers died and 15 others were injured. Three victims were killed on the spot while the others succumbed to their injuries in hospitals,” Thakur told reporters. He added that the injured are undergoing treatment in hospitals in the neighboring Raigarh district.
Since the area around the boiler is still very hot, workers and employees have been evacuated from the vicinity, the SP said, adding that rescue operations are still underway.
The police stated that the identities of the deceased and injured workers have not yet been identified. “An unfortunate accident occurred at one of the boiler units at our Singitarai plant, involving employees of the subcontractor, NGSL (NTPC GE Power Services Limited), which operates and maintains the unit,” the power plant management said in a statement.
The administration said that its immediate priority is to ensure the best possible medical assistance for those affected, and that it is coordinating closely with medical teams and local authorities. The statement said: “We are in the process of confirming the details, and a comprehensive investigation has begun in coordination with our partners and the relevant authorities.”
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai described the incident as “extremely tragic” and said the state government stands with the families of the deceased. Speaking to reporters in Raipur, he added that an investigation will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those found responsible.
State Congress president Deepak Baig described the incident as “extremely tragic” and alleged that the incident was a result of negligence by the factory management and management. “This is not an accident but a murder. Under the BJP’s mismanagement, deaths in industrial accidents do not stop,” Baig claimed seeking a judicial probe.
He also demanded compensation $1 Crore each to the family of the deceased $50 thousand for the injured
