Vedanta plant blast toll rises to 24; probe points to boiler pressure build-up

The death toll in the 14 April explosion at a Vedanta Ltd power plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district has risen to 24 after another injured worker succumbed on Sunday, officials said.

The latest victim, Manish Kumar from Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra, died during treatment at Raigarh Medical College. Eleven others remain hospitalised, with two reported to be in critical condition.

The blast occurred at the plant in Singhitarai village when a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine ruptured, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.

Officials said four workers died on the spot, while nine succumbed soon after. Seven more died on 15 April, one on 16 April in Raipur, and two others on Saturday, before the latest fatality pushed the toll to 24.

Among the deceased are seven workers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, four each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, and two each from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

Of the injured, six are being treated at Jindal Hospital in Raigarh, two each at Balaji Metro Hospital and Apex Hospital in the city, and one at Shri Shankara Hospital in Raipur.

Police have registered an FIR under sections related to causing death by negligence and negligent handling of machinery, naming 8 to 10 individuals, including Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal and plant head Devendra Patel. Authorities said more names could be added as the investigation progresses.

Preliminary findings, backed by a Forensic Science Laboratory report, indicate that excessive fuel accumulation inside the boiler furnace led to a pressure build-up, triggering the explosion.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai has ordered a probe by the Bilaspur divisional commissioner, while the district administration has initiated a magisterial inquiry. The Opposition Congress has demanded stricter charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

With PTI inputs