Chhattisgarh: Boiler Tube Blast at Vedanta Power Plant Kills 16, Injures 19
New Delhi: Sixteen people were killed and 19 injured in a boiler tube blast at the Vedanta Limited power plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district earlier this week.
According to an Indian Express report, the blast took place around 2:30 pm on Tuesday (April 14) at Vedanta’s Singhitarai power plant. A senior district official quoted by the paper said, “After the pipeline burst, superheated steam with a temperature of around 600 degrees fell on the people who were having their lunch. Some others who were walking in open spaces also got injured.”
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident, the report said.
The injured have been admitted in various hospitals in the Raigarh district while a few are seeking treatment at private hospitals in Bilaspur.
The blast
According to Ajit Naskar, one of the workers present at the time of the blast, 40-50 people were involved in painting work when the tube blew up.
“I have been working here for over a month. We were given the work of painting the premises. The incident happened around 2.30 pm when we were just starting our work post-lunch. Suddenly I heard a blast and there was smoke everywhere. We were at a height of 17 metres. I was in one corner so I hid inside a cupboard. Some people climbed down and ran off. Forty to fifty people were doing painting work at the time,” Naskar said.
Protests erupted outside the power plant after the incident. Chandra Sen Patel, among those protesting at the power plant, said that he lost his father in the blast. “My father, a housekeeper, died on the spot,” he told the media.
Vedanta’s response
Vedanta in an official statement said, “We regret to inform you that an incident has occurred at the Unit 1 boiler of our plant in Singhitarai in the afternoon of 14 April 2026, involving personnel of our business partner, NGSL.”
“Our immediate priority is to ensure the best possible medical assistance and treatment for all those affected. We are extending full support to the injured and are closely coordinating with medical teams and local authorities. We are in the process of ascertaining details, and a thorough investigation has been initiated in coordination with our partner and relevant authorities,” it said.
Rescue and relief
Sakti SP Prafull Thakur told the paper that all the workers had been rescued. “We asked the authorities to turn off the boiler and after it cooled down, we started the rescue operations. Everyone has been rescued.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief at the incident and announced Rs 5 lakh for the families of those who were killed and Rs 50,000 to the injured. “Instructions have been issued to ensure proper and free treatment for all the injured. I pray for their swift recovery,” he said.
Speaking of a thorough investigation in the matter, Sai said, “Whosoever is found guilty in this matter will face the strictest possible action.”
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