Six laborers tragically died and five others were severely injured in a factory blast at a steel plant in Chhattisgarh. The incident occurred on Thursday morning due to the bursting of a dust settling chamber. All deceased workers have been identified as residents of Bihar’s Gaya district, bringing sorrow to their families.
Tragic Accident in Balodabazar-Bhatapara
The incident took place around 10 AM on Thursday at the Real Steel Plant located in Bakulahi village, Nipania tehsil, in the Balodabazar-Bhatapara district of Chhattisgarh. According to reports, a dust settling chamber burst, leading to the unfortunate accident. The workers were severely burned by hot ash and dust released from the explosion.
Victims Identified, Mostly From Bihar
The six laborers who lost their lives were identified as Shravan Kumar, Rajdev Kumar, Jitendra Bhuiya, Badri Bhuiya, Vinay Bhuiya, and Sunder Bhuiya, all residents of the Dumaria police station area in Gaya district, Bihar. Five other laborers sustained severe burn injuries (10 to 40 percent) and were admitted to a burn and trauma research center in Bilaspur for treatment. The injured include Kalpu Bhuiya and Ramu Bhuiya from Gaya, Bihar, and Shabir Ansari, Mumtaz Ansari, and Sharafat Ansari from Garhwa district, Jharkhand.
Official Response and Investigation
Upon receiving information about the incident, senior officials including Collector Deepak Soni and SP Bhavna Gupta, along with police and administration, rushed to the site to oversee relief and rescue operations. SP Bhavna Gupta confirmed that the rescue operation was completed and all victims were identified. The Collector stated that the temperature of the dust settling chamber was excessively high. The administration has instructed the company’s HR and labor department to provide appropriate compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured. The company management has also assured to cover all expenses for the treatment of the injured. Chhattisgarh Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal held discussions with the Collector and ordered a serious inquiry into the entire matter, ensuring action against those found responsible.
Safety Concerns Raised by Locals
Local residents and laborers have accused the plant management of neglecting safety standards. It was reported that approximately 500 laborers, including 400 permanent and 100 contract workers, are employed at the plant. Some workers, including Joginder Ram and Ramswaroop, who were working near the furnace at the time of the incident, described how smoke began to rise and hot ash started falling immediately after the blast. Despite warnings, the chamber was not closed, leading to the tragic incident.
