Bhilai Steel Plant blast: Toll rises to 11, CEO removed, two other officials suspended

The blast took place around 10:30 am Tuesday when there was a fire in a gas pipeline of Coke Oven Battery Complex 11 during a “scheduled maintenance job.” Union Steel Minister Choudhary Birender Singh visited the site earlier in the day and announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh each to the families of workers who lost their lives in a blast. The families of the deceased will also get a statutory compensation between Rs 33 lakh and Rs 90 lakh, the minister said.

“The minister announced compensation of Rs 30 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident, Rs 15 lakh each for those who have serious injuries and Rs 2 lakh each for those with minor injuries,” the steel ministry said in a statement. The steel minister also directed SAIL to provide employment to the next of kin who died in the accident and free education to children up to graduation level.

A team of four doctors from the AIIMS was despatched on Wednesday by the Centre to treat the patients who suffered burn injuries in the explosion. Union Health Minister J P Nadda also spoke to the state government and assured them of all support.

The Chhattisgarh Police ended search and rescue operations by late afternoon on Tuesday.

This was the second major accident at the Bhilai Steel Plant in the last four years — in 2014, six people were killed and 30 others injured in a gas leak. An official at the plant told The Indian Express, on condition of anonymity, that most of the dead were killed instantly in the blast.