Chhattisgarh: 14 dead, 20 injured in boiler blast at Vedanta plant

At least 14 workers were killed and 20 others injured in a massive boiler explosion at a Vedanta Ltd power plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district on Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

The blast occurred around 2:30 pm at the plant in Singhitarai village when a tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine ruptured, triggering a powerful explosion that caused severe burn injuries to workers, Sakti superintendent of police Prafull Thakur said.

Rescue teams and local authorities rushed to the site immediately after the incident. Four workers died on the spot, while around 30 injured were taken to hospitals in nearby Raigarh and Bilaspur districts. Nine more later succumbed to their injuries, taking the death toll to 13, officials said, though the company put the number of fatalities at 10.

At least 20 injured workers are undergoing treatment, with six reported to be in critical condition. Some may be airlifted to Raipur for advanced care.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the tragedy and announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. He ordered a high-level inquiry, directing the Bilaspur divisional commissioner to investigate and ensure strict action against those found responsible. A separate magisterial probe has also been initiated by the district administration.

Vedanta said the affected workers were employed by its subcontractor and that its immediate priority is to provide medical assistance and support to victims and their families. The company has launched its own investigation in coordination with authorities.

Officials said the explosion was likely caused by a leak in the high-pressure steam tube connected to the boiler unit. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and devastation, with one worker saying the blast felt “like a missile had landed.”

The 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project, originally started in 2009, was acquired by Vedanta in 2022. One unit was commissioned last year, while the second is still under construction.

With PTI inputs