Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
Three engineers were killed and another person critically injured after a powerful blast ripped through the power plant of Maa Chhinnamastika Cement and Ispat Private Limited at Hehal under Barkakana police outpost in Ramgarh district late Friday night.
The incident occurred at around 11.10 pm on August 21, reportedly in the turbine section/overspeed panel of the plant. Preliminary information suggests that excessive overheating may have led to the failure of the protection system, causing the turbine to overspeed before the blast. Oil reportedly spilled from the turbine and triggered a major fire.
The blast and subsequent fire created panic among employees working the night shift. The three victims were reportedly trapped in the fire and suffered severe burn injuries. They died at the spot.
The deceased have been identified as Sanjeev Kumar Kesari (around 50), shift in-charge; Vineet Mahto (25), an engineer; and Abhishek Pandey (24), an engineer. Kesari was reportedly from Ranchi/Dhanbad, while Mahto was a resident of Jageshwar Vihar in Bokaro and Pandey belonged to Nagar Untari in Garhwa district.
Another employee, identified as Tarun Ravani/Rajwar, a resident of Hazaribagh, sustained serious burn injuries. He was shifted to a hospital in Ramgarh and was later being treated at a private hospital in Ranchi, according to preliminary reports.
Several fire tenders were rushed to the plant after the incident. Firefighters battled the blaze for a considerable period before bringing it under control. Police have initiated an investigation into the incident.
The exact cause of the blast is yet to be established and is expected to be ascertained through a detailed technical and administrative inquiry.
Meanwhile, employees have alleged serious safety lapses at the plant. An employee associated with the power plant claimed that temperatures in the control room and unit had been rising continuously and that the air-conditioning system was not functioning properly. According to employees, repeated requests had allegedly been made to the management to repair the AC system and take measures to control the temperature, but no effective action was taken.
The allegations have triggered anger among workers, who have demanded accountability from the plant management. The allegations, however, are yet to be independently verified.
AJSU Party Ramgarh district president Dilip Dangi alleged negligence in maintaining safety standards at the plant and demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the families of the deceased along with government or company jobs for their dependents.
Police and other authorities are expected to examine the plant’s safety systems, operational records, maintenance history and compliance with industrial safety norms as part of the investigation.
