Chhattisgarh: Toll in boiler blast at Vedanta power plant rises to 24

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,...

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