What Caused the Fire Injuries at Bokaro Steel Plant?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Four workers injured due to fire at Bokaro Steel Plant.
- Severe burn injuries reported among the injured.
- Internal investigation launched into safety practices.
- Incident raises questions about worker safety in industrial settings.
- Similar accidents have occurred in the past.
Bokaro, Sep 28 (NationPress) Four contractual workers suffered significant burn injuries on Sunday when a fire erupted at Jharkhand's Bokaro Steel Plant, as reported by officials.
The incident unfolded in the Steel Melting Shop-2 (SMS-2) of the facility earlier in the afternoon.
The injured individuals have been named as Ranjit Mahata, Brajesh Mahata, Omprakash Mahali, and Praveen Kumar.
Following the incident, all four were initially transported to the plant's medical unit, where they received first aid before being referred to Bokaro General Hospital due to the severity of their burn injuries.
According to eyewitness accounts, the accident transpired while a crane was hoisting a ladle filled with molten metal.
Suddenly, the crane's rope snapped, causing the hot metal to spill onto the ground, igniting fierce flames that engulfed the four nearby workers.
Sources from Bokaro General Hospital indicated that Ranjit Mahata sustained burns covering over 90 percent of his body.
Brajesh Mahata and Omprakash Mahali suffered approximately 60 percent burns, while Praveen Kumar incurred 45 percent burns.
All four workers have been admitted to the intensive care unit and are under the vigilant observation of medical personnel.
Upon learning of the fire incident, the families of the injured workers hurried to the scene.
A similar incident had taken place in SMS-2 in June, resulting in injuries to five contractual workers.
Workers at the steel plant are attributing blame to management officials for the incident.
They argue that such accidents are occurring frequently due to the disregard for safety protocols at the facility.
As of now, the management of the steel plant has not released an official statement regarding the incident.
However, reports suggest that an internal investigation has been initiated.
The Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), situated in Jharkhand, is a major integrated public sector steel plant known for producing flat steel products like hot rolled and cold rolled coils and sheets.
Established in 1964 and initiating construction in 1968, it stands as India's first indigenous steel plant and is currently part of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).