Bhubaneswar: In a tragic incident at the Rourkela Steel Plant on Monday, nine employees were injured, with eight of them in critical condition, following a poisonous gas leak from a blast furnace.
Sources reported that the labourers were affected by carbon monoxide (CO) leaking from the plant’s No. 5 blast furnace. The victims suffered severe asphyxiation and were promptly transported to Ispat General Hospital (IGH). Due to the severity of their condition, all eight critically injured employees were shifted to the ICU for intensive care.
This incident is not an isolated case. The Rourkela Steel Plant has a troubling history of gas leaks, leading to injuries and fatalities among workers. Despite these recurring incidents, it is alleged that plant authorities have yet to implement adequate safety measures to protect their employees.
A notable previous incident occurred on January 6, 2021, when a toxic gas leak at the plant resulted in the deaths of four workers and injuries to seven others. This history of repeated safety failures has raised serious concerns about the plant’s commitment to worker safety.