Massive explosion and fire in Vizag Steel plant, 16 dead, many injured

VISAKHAPATNAM: In the worst-ever accident in the history of Viskhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), 16 workers , including some officers, were burnt alive following a huge explosion in the recently commissioned oxygen plant in the steel melting shop III unit on Wednesday night. About 20 workers were injured. The explosion occurred when the officials were conducting a trial run of the oxygen plant.Most of those killed on Wednesday night were contract workers.
At the time of the accident, 31 workers, including DGM-level rank officers, were in the shift. Sources say that the death toll is likely to go up as nobody knows as to how many workers stayed close to the oxygen plant at the time of the mishap. After the massive blast, a huge fire raged across the plant. All the workers and officials present in the oxygen plant were charred to death. The oxygen plant was completely gutted as huge flames swept through the unit. The injured suffered 80-90% burns. The Seven Hills Hospital was filled with the cries of the injured workers screaming in agony.
Gajuwaka MLA Venkataramaiah confirmed to TOI that 16 workers had died in the mishap. The steel plant management were not available for comment even a couple of hours after the accident. Trade union leaders allege that maintenance works in the plant have been neglected for well over a year.
The new SMS III wing, which was constructed as part of the expansion works of the plant, was commissioned recently. The trade unions and the workers were searching for the bodies at the accident spot while fire fighters were trying to control the fire. Raju, an eye witness, said 10 bodies have been taken out from the charred remains of the gutted plant. "We have never heard of such a tragedy in VSP history," Shankar, a worker, who escaped the fire, said.
In the process of steel making, the hot metal is released from the blast furnace (BF), which is then sent to the mixer in the SMS wing to convert the hot metal into blooms. Each SMS wing has an oxygen house or plant. On Wednesday night, the oxygen plant exploded when pressure increased in the pipeline. The machinery in the newly-built SMS wing was erected by a German company, which has not provided expertise or any proper instructional methods to the steel plant, union leader Adinarayana alleged. "There is no supervision of safety or quality in the expansion works," he alleged.
Over the last four years, work has been on to increase the capacity of the plant. The last accident took place a month ago in which two workers were killed. In fact, this was fourth accident in the last four months.
Viskhapatnam Steel Plant Mishap
May 22, 2012: A conveyor belt carrying raw material to new blast furnace completely melted at the sinter plant after it caught fire. Production loss Rs 1 crore.
May 1, 2012: Two contract labourers burnt alive and another two sustained serious burns following a blast in the newly- commissioned blast furnace III.
Feb 6, 2012: Huge quantity of spillage of hot metal in the steel melting shop (SMS), loss Rs 1 crore
April 10, 2011: Major fire broke out in SMS due to liquid steel fall from the ladle carrying out about 140 tonnes, loss Rs 60 crore
April 14, 2011: Huge quantity of hot metal spillage in continuous casting department of SMS, 140 tonnes of liquid still fell on the ground
April 17, 2011: Major fire in the raw material handling plant, causing damage to the three conveyor belts, loss Rs 20 crore
May 1, 2011: 48-hour production disruption due to twisting of a conveyor belt that transports raw material to blast furnace
June 18, 2011: Fire erupted when hot coke fell on one of the two conveyor belts in the coke drying cooling plant, loss Rs 15 lakh