New Delhi: Several workers were killed and many others injured after a ladle carrying molten metal collapsed during a crane operation at the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL)-run Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in Andhra Pradesh at around 4.35 pm on Monday, with officials warning the toll could climb as rescue work continued. The disaster took place while ladles carrying molten steel at extremely high temperatures were being transported via a crane system, and in a mechanical failure the heavy ladles collapsed, spilling the scalding liquid metal onto workers below. The metal was reportedly at a temperature of about 1,600 degrees Celsius.
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The death toll remained unconfirmed on Monday evening, with accounts varying across sources. According to the Andhra Pradesh Health Department, four people were declared dead at the Visakha Steel General Hospital as of 6.30 pm on June 8, and six injured persons were sent to KIMS Sheela Nagar and Seven Hills hospitals. A total of six casualties were reported and shifted from the Steel Plant General Hospital, with four bodies brought there as of that time. Several media reports put the toll at at least eight, and officials cautioned the number could rise given the condition of the injured. Among the deceased were both company employees and outsourced contract workers.
The accident occurred after a large quantity of molten steel leaked from a metallurgical ladle at the Steel Melting Shop-2 (SMS-2) of the plant; some reports said the Steel Melting Shop-3 (SMS-3) section was also affected. Police said the molten metal was being moved through a crane-operated bucket when the mishap occurred, and the hot metal spilled over a large area, engulfing workers present nearby.
Workers’ unions said it was the first time a ladle blast had happened at the plant, and that about 150 tonnes of liquid steel were present at the time of the accident. The spill triggered panic on the premises; plant authorities activated emergency protocols, fire and rescue teams reached the spot, and the injured, several with severe burns and some in critical condition, were evacuated to hospitals in the city for treatment.
Officials said the cause of the accident was still being investigated to establish whether it stemmed from a technical or mechanical fault or a breach of safety procedures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident in a post on X and announced financial relief. “Saddened by the mishap at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Praying that the injured recover at the earliest,” he said, adding that local authorities were providing all possible assistance. Modi said an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be given to the next of kin of each deceased worker, and Rs 50,000 to those injured.
A press release from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s office said multiple workers were killed in the industrial accident; Naidu expressed deep anguish over the deaths and directed all departments to work in coordination to extend help. State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha spoke with the Visakhapatnam District Collector and the City Police Commissioner, and instructed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured and to speed up rescue and relief efforts.
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YSR Congress Party chief and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed grief over the deaths, demanded a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, and called for strict action against those found responsible.
RINL, which operates the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, had not issued an official statement on the accident at the time of writing.
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