Vedanta Power Plant Blast: 14 Dead In Sakti Boiler Explosion

36 Workers Suffer Severe Burns

At least 14 workers died after a high-pressure boiler exploded at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district on Tuesday afternoon. Officials confirmed 36 labourers sustained severe burn injuries in one of the state’s worst industrial accidents in recent years.

Casualties And Rescue Operations

The blast occurred around 2 pm inside the Singhitrai facility under Dhabra police station limits. Four workers perished on the spot. Eighteen critically injured were rushed to Jindal Fortis Hospital in Raigarh, where 10 more succumbed to their injuries. Eight others remain in critical condition with over 80 per cent burns.

Victims From Three States

Among the 36 injured, 12 hail from Chhattisgarh. The remaining workers belong to Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Three patients are undergoing treatment at Metro Hospital in Raigarh, while two others were admitted to Apex Hospital. Six severely injured have been referred to Bilaspur.

Identification Of Deceased

Authorities have identified four deceased workers so far – Thandaram, Pappu Kumar, 50-year-old Amrit Lal Patel, and Brijesh Kumar from Uttar Pradesh’s Kewal village. Efforts continue to identify the remaining bodies, with officials stating severe burns have made the process challenging.

Official Compensation Announcement

Vedanta management announced financial assistance of Rs 35 lakh each for the families of deceased workers, along with a job for one family member. Injured workers will receive Rs 15 lakh each. Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Office declared Rs 2 lakh per deceased from PMNRF and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

State Government Response

Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai expressed grief over the tragedy and ordered strict action against those found negligent. The state government announced an additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each deceased worker’s family and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Collector Amrit Vikas Topno ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Labour Minister Assures Action

Chhattisgarh Labour Minister Lakhanlal Dewangan said departmental inquiries have been initiated. “Those responsible will face strict action under labour laws. Negligence will not be tolerated at any level,” he stated. Congress state president Deepak Baij demanded Rs 1 crore compensation for each deceased worker’s family.

Grieving Families Protest

Outside the plant premises, relatives of missing workers staged a protest accusing management of withholding information. Madhav Prasad Yadav, who lost his younger brother Uddhav Singh Yadav, claimed the worker remains untraceable. “Neither has he returned home nor is he found in any hospital. The plant management is not providing any details,” he said.

What Next

Raipur’s DKS Hospital has been placed on high alert to handle critical cases. The magisterial inquiry report is expected within two weeks. Police have registered an FIR, and forensic teams are examining the blast site to determine whether operational negligence or equipment failure caused the tragedy.