Chhattisgarh factory blast: Injured workers still critical, police awaiting safety report

Raipur, April 13 (IANS) The condition of the four workers, injured in the Chhattisgarh factory blast, is still critical, police said on Sunday.

The blast occurred in a sponge iron private factory in the Kota Dabri area of Champa town of Janjgir-Champa district on Saturday.

"The condition of four workers admitted to Raipur Hospital is still critical. We are awaiting the industrial safety report, after which we will take legal action, accordingly, against the person responsible for the explosion in the factory," Vivek Shukla, District Superintendent of Police, told IANS.

At least 13 workers suffered more than 60 per cent burns due to the blast in the old furnace of the factory in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district.

"Out of these, the condition of four is critical, while three workers have been kept in ICU (intensive care unit) in Narayana Hospital, Raipur," the Superintendent of Police further said.

"Most of them have received 60-70 per cent burns," the senior police officer said, adding that, "A forensic team and an industrial safety inspector are going into the detail of the accident to ascertain the cause of the explosion, and further probe is underway."

According to the information, all the labourers were working in the second shift when they came under the grip of hot lava during the blast.

The officer further said that the cause of the blast is not yet clear.

"Investigation is being done. We have sought an industrial safety report. Once the interim report comes, legal action will be taken against the responsible," the Superintendent of Police said.

Police sources said dolomite stone was being melted in a 15-tonne old furnace at around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Steel (sponge iron) is made by giving shape to the molten lava from the furnace.

"Some technical issue might have triggered a problem in the old furnace, which the responsible persons have ignored, however exact cause will be known only after the report. Also, maintenance work was going on in the same furnace when suddenly there was an explosion," said the sources.

--IANS

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