6 dead, 12 injured in gas pipeline blast at Bhilai Steel Plant

Six employees were killed and 14 others injured Tuesday in a blast at the Bhilai Steel Plant of state-owned SAIL in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, police said.

The explosion took place around 11 am in a gas pipeline connected to the coke oven section of the plant in Bhilai town, located around 30 km away from the capital, Inspector General of Police (Durg Range) G P Singh told PTI.

"At least six people were burnt to death while 14 others received injuries and most of them were said to be in a serious condition," he said.

As per preliminary information, over 24 employees were working at the spot when the accident occurred, he said.

Police personnel and a rescue team rushed to the spot, he said, adding that all the victims were being taken to a local hospital.

Rescue operation was still underway at the plant, operated by the state-run Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in June dedicated the modernised and expanded Bhilai Steel Plant to the nation.

As per SAIL's website, the Bhilai Steel Plant is India's sole producer and supplier of world class rails for the Indian Railways, including 260 metre long rails, and a major producer of a large variety of wide and heavy steel plates and structural steel.

With an annual production capacity of 3.153 MT of saleable steel, the plant also specialises in other products such as wire rods and merchant products.