Raipur: A devastating explosion at a power plant operated by Vedanta Ltd in Chhattisgarh was triggered by a rupture in a high-pressure steam tube, leading to the deaths of at least 13 workers and injuries to several others. The incident occurred at the Athena Power plant in Singhitarai village in Sakti district on Tuesday afternoon.
Officials stated that the blast originated in a pipeline carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler unit to the turbine. The rupture caused an intense release of extremely hot steam, which engulfed workers stationed nearby and resulted in severe burn injuries.
The explosion took place around 2:30 pm at the Unit-1 boiler section, where several workers employed by a subcontractor were engaged in maintenance and painting work. Eyewitnesses described a sudden, powerful blast followed by thick smoke, with many workers caught in close proximity to the source of the rupture.
The damaged steam line plays a critical role in electricity generation, transporting pressurised steam to drive turbine operations. Authorities believe that a failure in this system led to the catastrophic release of energy, causing widespread damage and casualties.
In response, the company confirmed that the affected workers were associated with its subcontractor handling operations and maintenance. A detailed internal investigation has been initiated in coordination with relevant authorities to determine the exact cause of the failure.
The state government has also ordered multiple inquiries into the incident. Vishnu Deo Sai has directed a high-level probe, while local प्रशासन officials have initiated a separate magisterial investigation to examine safety protocols and accountability.
Investigators are focusing on identifying how the leak developed within the high-pressure system and whether there were lapses in maintenance or safety compliance. The findings are expected to guide measures aimed at preventing similar industrial accidents in the future.
The tragedy has raised serious concerns about workplace safety standards in high-risk industrial environments.
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