Tragic Accident at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant Claims Lives of Eight Workers
Accident Overview
Photo: @SimplifyingFire/X
Visakhapatnam, June 9: Authorities have confirmed the identities of three out of the eight workers who tragically lost their lives in an incident at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in Andhra Pradesh. DNA testing will be utilized to identify the remaining victims, as announced by officials on Tuesday.
The identified workers, Bhanu Kumar, Ramana, and Appala Raju, were taken to King George Hospital (KGH). Efforts are underway to return their remains to their hometowns.
All eight deceased were transported to the KGH mortuary, where many bodies were severely charred, making identification difficult. Hospital Superintendent Dr. Vani stated that DNA samples would be collected and sent to a laboratory in Vijayawada for analysis.
The tragic event occurred when a ladle carrying molten steel exploded, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals and injuries to six others. The explosion released a significant amount of molten steel, which was reported to be around 1,500 degrees Celsius.
In response to the incident, state ministers Nara Lokesh and Anitha visited KGH to offer condolences to the victims' families, promising them full support.
They were joined by Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries & Steel, Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, and MP Bharat, among others.
State Labour Minister Vasamshetti Subhash also visited the injured at KIMS Icon Hospital.
Earlier, Union Minister for Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy inspected the accident site and later visited the hospital to comfort the families of the deceased and check on the injured.
Kumaraswamy described the incident as deeply tragic and announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 10 lakh for each injured individual.
He engaged with the affected families, inquiring about their needs and assuring them of comprehensive support. The minister emphasized the importance of providing the best medical care for the injured, stating, “In this challenging time, we stand united with the affected families and pray for the swift recovery of all those receiving treatment.”
Additionally, he pledged assistance for employment opportunities for eligible family members of the deceased and support for the education of their children. The factory will cover all medical expenses for the injured.
Kumaraswamy has called for an independent investigation to determine the precise cause of the accident, accompanied by Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, Home Minister Anitha, TDP State President Palla Srinivasa, and MP Bharat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced financial aid of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured through the PM National Relief Fund.