Hyderabad: At least eight workers were killed and six more are fighting for their lives after a fire tragedy at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant Limited on Monday evening.
The accident occurred at around 4:15 pm, when a large ladle carrying molten iron leaked onto a crane, causing an instant explosion at the Steel Melt Shop (SMS)-1 and STC-3 of the Continuous Casting Department (CCD) facility.
Around 14 people were near the furnace when the molten iron at 1,500 degrees Celsius spilt over, gutting the shop floor and creating panic among the workers. Fire engines tried to contain the premises of the 43-year-old steel plant that employs nearly 10,000 people.
The bodies of eight workers—five permanent employees and three contract workers—were found charred.
Bhupathi Raju Srinivas Varma, Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries, confirmed to ThePrint that four of the six workers were responding well to medical treatment. “We are in touch with the police and revenue officials of Anakapalle district, where the steel plant is located, and we are being briefed on an hourly basis. Two workers are still critical, but we are ensuring that the best treatment is provided to them,” he said.
Among the first to reach the steel plant were Vizag MP Mathukumilli Sribharat and Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha. They spoke to the workers and assured them of their safety and support, local media channels reported.
As the ministers were reviewing the situation, enraged workers gheraoed the ministers and alleged that safety audits were awaited at the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), or the Vizag steel plant.
A group of workers at the adjacent plant pointed to a reduced workforce on the shop floor and increased work pressure, given the sudden downsizing of employees.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and HRD Minister N.Lokesh expressed their profound grief over the tragedy. PM Modi announced an ex gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Those injured will be given Rs 50,000, Modi’s office added.
Expressing his anguish on X, Naidu said, “The accident at the Vizak Steel Plant has left me deeply shocked. I am distressed to learn that several workers have lost their lives in this accident. I have spoken to the concerned officials and directed them to undertake relief measures in coordination with all government departments.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Govt bets on coal gasification projects to cut import dependency, targets Rs 4 lakh crore investment