With one more worker dying during treatment on Sunday, the toll in the blast at a power plant owned by Vedanta Limited in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district rose to 24, PTI reported, quoting officials.
Eleven other persons are undergoing treatment. Two of them are in critical condition, according to the officials.
The blast took place on Tuesday at Singhitarai village in the Sakti district, when a steel tube carrying superheated steam from a boiler to a turbine at the power plant burst. The superheated steam engulfed workers who were eating their lunch.
Citing a preliminary technical report submitted by the chief inspector of boilers at the site, the Sakti police had earlier stated that an excessive accumulation of fuel inside the boiler furnace caused extreme pressure, leading to the explosion.
The police said that during the investigation, it had come to light that the Vedanta Group and its contractor NTPC GE Power Services Limited “did not properly adhere to the standards regarding the maintenance and operation of machinery and equipment”.
“Negligence in equipment upkeep and lapses in operation caused sudden fluctuations in the boiler’s pressure, leading to the accident,” it said. “Based on available evidence and technical reports, clear negligence has been observed in the incident.”
While four of the workers had died on the spot after the explosion, nine others succumbed to injuries soon after, reported PTI. Seven more injured workers died in hospitals on April 15, while another worker died on April 16 at a hospital in Raipur. Two more workers died in hospitals on Saturday, according to the news agency.
Seven of the workers who died were from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, four from Jharkhand, four from Uttar Pradesh, and two each from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
On Thursday, the Chhattisgarh Police filed a first information report against Vedanta Group chairperson Anil Agarwal and several others.
The case had been registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to causing death by negligence, negligent conduct with respect to machinery and common intention.
“Eight to ten individuals, including Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal, have been named in the FIR,” said Sakti Superintendent of Police Prafull Thakur. “If more persons are found responsible during the investigation, their names will be added.”
You’ve read Scroll.
Now help sustain it
Scroll is funded by readers, not corporate owners. If you believe our work matters, support our newsroom. Become a member today!
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!