Four workers sustain severe burn injuries in Bhilai Steel Plant blast furnace fire

At least four workers sustained severe burn injuries when they were working near the SMS 2 unit of the Bhilai Steel Plant on Tuesday. The spark from the red-hot molten iron ore spilled onto the surroundings. The oil nearby caught fire in which four workers sustained burn injuries.

Bhilai: At least four workers sustained severe burn injuries when they were working near the SMS 2 unit of the Bhilai Steel Plant on Tuesday. The spark from the red-hot molten iron ore spilled onto the surroundings. The oil nearby caught fire in which four workers sustained burn injuries. The critically injured labourers were first rushed to the Bhilai Steel Plant's Main Hospital and thereafter the injured workers were referred to Sector-9 Hospital. What led to the spilling of hot molten metals into the surroundings was not known immediately.

It is alleged that near the SMS-2 unit, the labourers were working without wearing safety gear. The sparks from the molten iron ore landed on oil which led to the spreading of the fire. The injured workers have been identified as Ramesh Maurya, Raju Tandi, Amit Singh and Ranjit Singh. The injured workers were carried in an ambulance to Sector 9 hospital. Earlier, the injured were taken to BSP's Main Hospital.

It may be recalled that on January 3, 2020, altogether six employees, including DGM, sustained injuries due to a gas leak in Bhilai Steel Plant. On July 1, 2019, a blast occurred in the Bhilai Steel Plant. Fortunately, there was no loss of life or property in the accident. On June 26, 2019, an electrical spark near MSDS-2 behind Furnace-7 of the plant triggered a blast in which three employees were badly burnt.

On April 5, 2019, in the mishap near the Blast Furnace-4 of SMS-1 of Bhilai Steel Plant, nine employees were critically injured. On June 12, 2014, a gas leakage took place near Blast Furnace-2, in which six employees were killed and 35 others sustained injuries.