Eight killed, six injured in massive explosion at Vizag steel plant

A powerful explosion inside the Steel Melt Shop-1 of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), popularly known as the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, killed eight workers and injured six others on Monday, triggering a major fire and prompting multiple investigations into one of the deadliest industrial accidents in the plant's history.

According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) statement, the blast occurred around 4.15 pm while workers were preparing to pour molten steel from a ladle into a tundish before the material was sent to a caster unit.

"Before slide gate opening to pour hot crude steel from Ladle to Tundish, which could eventually have gone to caster, sudden severe explosion took place. Eight persons succumbed to injuries. Six more persons are injured and admitted to the hospital undergoing treatment," the statement said.

The explosion sent a massive ball of fire soaring to the ceiling and set an overhead crane ablaze. Police said molten steel, estimated to be at a temperature of around 1,600 degrees Celsius, spilled onto workers in the vicinity.

Visakhapatnam collector M. Abhishikth Kishore said two of the injured remain in critical condition, while the other four are out of danger. The injured have been admitted to private hospitals in the city.

"The situation is under control and operations in the affected facility have been suspended, leaving no more scope for further accidents," Kishore said.

While the exact cause of the explosion remains unclear, workers familiar with the process said molten metal spilled from a ladle during transfer, triggering a massive fire. The incident occurred during a shift-change period, complicating efforts to immediately determine the number of personnel present at the site.

Union Minister of State for Steel B. Srinivasa Varma described the accident as a "most unfortunate development" and said a detailed inquiry would establish whether the blast was caused by a structural failure in the ladle or another technical fault.

"How did the blast occur or if the ladle had broken, we will try to ascertain these causes in a day or two," Varma told reporters, adding that Union steel minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was expected to visit the plant.

RINL has launched an internal investigation, while a three-member external inquiry committee led by the director-in-charge of Bokaro Steel Plant under SAIL has also been constituted to examine the accident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

"Saddened by the mishap at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Praying that the injured recover at the earliest," Modi said in a post on X.

The prime minister announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he was "deeply shocked" by the accident and had directed officials to coordinate relief and rescue operations.

"I am distressed to learn that several workers have lost their lives in this accident. I have spoken to the concerned officials and directed them to undertake relief measures in coordination with all government departments," Naidu said.

The chief minister also postponed a public meeting scheduled in Tirupati on June 9 to mark two years of the NDA coalition government as a mark of respect for the victims.

The latest tragedy has reignited concerns over maintenance standards and manpower shortages at the steel plant, with some workers alleging long-standing operational issues. Industry observers describe the accident as unprecedented in terms of a ladle-related molten steel incident at the facility.

Investigators are expected to determine in the coming days whether equipment failure, procedural lapses or other factors contributed to the deadly explosion.

With PTI inputs