Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and state Minister Nara Lokesh on Tuesday, 9 June visited workers injured in a deadly accident at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, assuring full government support to affected families. The tragedy, which occurred on Monday when a ladle carrying molten steel exploded, claimed eight lives and left six workers injured.

What Happened at the Plant

The accident was triggered when a ladle transporting steel at approximately 1,500 degrees Celsius exploded, causing a large quantity of molten steel to leak. The blast killed eight employees on the spot and seriously injured six others, who were subsequently admitted to multiple hospitals in Visakhapatnam.

Pawan Kalyan's Hospital Visit and Assurances

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan visited KIMS Icon Hospital, where he met the injured workers and their family members. He spoke directly with treating doctors to assess the condition of the victims. Accompanied by Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar and Visakhapatnam South MLA Vamsikrishna Srinivas Yadav, Kalyan assured families that the government would bear all medical expenses.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Kalyan described the accident as 'painful' and announced that the steel plant would pay an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased worker, and ₹10 lakh in assistance to every injured employee. He pledged that the government would investigate whether management had adhered to all prescribed safety measures.

Probe and Safety Audit Ordered

Kalyan stated that follow-up action would be taken on the report to be submitted by a committee constituted by the Union Steel Ministry to probe the incident. He stressed that all aspects of the accident must be examined thoroughly. Notably, Kalyan flagged that frequent industrial accidents in and around Visakhapatnam had become 'alarming', calling on industry managements to conduct safety audits and on concerned officials to enforce compliance with safety regulations.

He also assured workers and the public that Visakhapatnam Steel Plant would remain a public sector company — a reassurance that carries political weight given longstanding concerns about its privatisation. A meeting with plant employees to understand their grievances is also being planned.

Lokesh Visits Families, Directs Better Medical Care

Earlier on Tuesday, Nara Lokesh, state Minister for Human Resources Development and Information Technology, visited the families of the deceased at King George Hospital (KGH) and called on the injured at KMS Hospital and Seven Hills Hospital. He was accompanied by Union Minister of State for Steel Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, state Home Minister Anitha, and other officials. Lokesh directed doctors to provide the best possible medical care and assured affected families of the government's full support.

With the Union Steel Ministry probe committee already constituted, the focus now shifts to whether systemic safety failures at the plant will be addressed — or whether this tragedy joins a pattern of industrial accidents in the region that have prompted alarm but limited structural change.