Boiler blast at Vedanta plant in Chhattisgarh leaves 9 dead, over 20 injured

Raipur/Sakti — A powerful boiler explosion at a Vedanta Limited power plant in Singhitarai village of Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district on Tuesday led to a major tragedy, claiming at least nine lives and leaving over 20 workers critically injured.

According to Sakti Superintendent of Police Praful Thakur, the explosion triggered panic inside the facility, where around 40–50 labourers were present at the time. Several workers are still feared to be trapped, and the death toll may rise as rescue operations continue.

The blast, which occurred around 2 p.m., is suspected to have been caused by a boiler tube burst, though the exact reason is yet to be officially confirmed. The sudden explosion led to chaos, with workers rushing to escape the premises.

Many of the injured sustained severe burn injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals, with some referred to advanced medical centres, including Jindal Fortis Hospital in Raigarh.

Reacting to the incident, Chhattisgarh Industry and Commerce Minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan expressed grief over the loss of lives and said that instructions had been issued to district and departmental officials to take immediate action. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Police, fire brigade teams, and district administration officials quickly reached the spot and launched rescue and relief operations. Efforts are underway to clear debris and locate any workers still trapped inside the plant.

Senior officials, including the district Collector, are monitoring the situation closely. Authorities have ordered an inquiry to determine the cause of the explosion and examine whether there were any lapses in safety measures or maintenance protocols.

The incident has once again raised serious concerns about industrial safety standards in high-risk facilities, especially those dealing with high-pressure boilers. Officials have assured full support to the families of the deceased and injured as rescue efforts continue.

With inputs from IANS