9 dead, 18 others injured as gas pipeline explodes at Bhilai steel plant

Nine people were killed and 18 others were injured in a gas pipeline blast in Bhilai steel plant in Chhattisgarh's Durg district. The blast took place in a pipeline near coke oven section of the plant in Bhilai town, which is around 30 km from the state capital Raipur, a police official told PTI. In a statement, SAIL said,"In an unfortunate incident at around 10.30 am, today in SAIL Bhilai Steel Plant, there was a fire in gas pipe line of Coke Oven Battery Complex No 11 during a scheduled maintenance job. Some persons working at the site sustained burn injury. "Injured persons were immediately rushed to the BSP hospital for medical care and aid. Meanwhile, the fire has been controlled. So far, 9 persons have lost their lives and 14 are undergoing medical treatment. All resources have been mobilized to provide adequate care to the injured." Police personnel and a rescue team rushed to the spot, the official said, adding that the injured were taken to a hospital. In 2014, six workers at the Bhilai Steel Plant died because of an explosion in the blast furnace. In November 2017, 43 people died and many were injured in a blast at a National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited plant at Unchahar in Uttar Pradesh. Source: News18