At least four workers were killed and six others seriously injured following leakage of carbon monoxide gas at the Coal Chemicals Department of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on Wednesday morning.
While six of the victims were taken to the RSP dispensary, four workers, identified as Ganesh Chandra Paila (55), Rabindra Sahu (59), Abhimanyu Sah (33) and Brahmananda Panda (51), were admitted to the ICU of the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) where they died while undergoing treatment.
Hours after the incident, the RSP authorities suspended two senior officials, Deputy General Manager Gopabandhu Barik of EMD Department and DGM Nabendu Das of CCD Mechanical Department for their alleged negligence. Also, the authorities decided to provide job to one family member of each deceased.
While opening flange bolts of the gas line of the gas mixing tank at the site A of the plant, some entrapped gas gushed out affecting four workers of the contract firm, Star Construction, critically.
Meanwhile, a high-level committee has been formed to enquire into the cause of the accident. The plant is functioning normally, informed official sources.
Rourkela Ispat Karkhana Karmachari Sangh president Himanshu Sekhar Bal demanded adequate compensation to the families of the deceased and injured.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a tweet said, “Deeply saddened to know about the tragic loss of lives in the gas leak incident at Rourkela Steel Plant. My thoughts and prayers are with bereaved families in the hour of grief and pray for the speedy recovery of those who are hospitalised.”
