The death toll from a boiler explosion at a power station in Singitarai village in Sakti, Chhattisgarh state on Tuesday has risen to 14, police said on Wednesday.
Police Inspector Praful Thakur said 14 people died and 20 were injured. “Among the injured, five have been shifted to Raipur for advanced treatment. The rest are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raigarh district.”
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the incident and announced compensation $5 thousand to the families of each of the dead $50,000 for the injured. He ordered an investigation into the incident, and said that strict measures would be taken against those found responsible. He said the state government was ensuring appropriate and free medical treatment for all those infected.
The district administration ordered a judicial investigation into the incident. Officials said the explosion at the Vedanta power station was likely caused by a leak in the high-pressure steam pipe connected to the boiler.
The factory authorities said that at least six of the injured were in critical condition, and that efforts were underway to airlift some workers for advanced medical care. Vedanta said in a statement that the explosion occurred in one of the boiler units at its Singitarai plant, and involved employees of its subcontractor, NTPC GE Power Services Limited.
The company said that its immediate priority is to provide the best possible medical assistance to the affected workers, and that it is coordinating closely with medical teams and local authorities.
