At least four contractual workers died on Wednesday and six others fell ill after inhaling a toxic gas leaked from a unit at Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of the state-run SAIL in Odisha. The mishap took place at the Coal Chemical Department of the RSP around 7:30 am, when a total of 10 workers were on duty. The four contractual workers were engaged by private company Star Constructions.
The deceased have been identified as Ganesh Chandra Paila (59), Abhimanyu Sahu (33), Rabindra Sahu (59) and Brahmananda Panda (51). Confirming the deaths, President of the Rourkela Ispat Karkhana Karmachari Sangh (RIKKS) Himanshu Sekhar Bal demanded adequate compensation to the families of the deceased.
Odisha: Four people dead, six people fall ill due to toxic gas leakage from a unit at Rourkela Steel Plant pic.twitter.com/TkRNSwsMOK
— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2021
“According to a preliminary report, the four workers died due to emission of carbon monoxide gas from the unit.They were admitted to the ICU of the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) where they died and a few others are being treated in the RSP dispensary. The RSP authorities have ordered a high-level probe into the mishap,” the officials said.
Dipak Chattaraj, CEO of the RSP, has assured all help to the families of the deceased workers.
Meanwhile, a high-level committee has been formed to inquire into the cause of the mishap. The plant is functioning normally, informed official sources.
(With PTI inputs)