Blast at NTPC’s Raebareli plant leaves 20 dead, over 100 injured

At least 20 people were killed and over 100 others were injured in a boiler pipe blast at NTPC's Unchahar power plant in Raebareli district, 110 km from Lucknow, on Wednesday.

A large number of NTPC workers and engineers as well as some senior officials were at the 500 MW power unit when the boiler pipe exploded.

The blast was reportedly triggered in the duct connected to the boiler which is used for transferring ash of burnt coal. It is believed that the ash pipe got choked, leading to the blast.

The boiler, installed recently at the sixth unit of the 1,550 MW Uchahar thermal power plant, was reported to be functioning normally till Wednesday afternoon.

The toll could rise further once the blades of the damaged boiler are removed as many labourers are feared trapped inside. Government sources said that most of the injured have suffered more than 70 per cent injury which could further add to the toll.

State government has announced an ex gratia of Rs2 lakh for the deceased.

According to ADG (law and order) Anand Kumar, 22 severely burnt labourers were rushed to various Lucknow hospitals for emergency treatment. Three of NTPC's senior officials of assistant general manager rank also received grievous injuries and are being treated at a private hospital in Lucknow. They may be shifted to Delhi by air ambulance.

Similarly, 15 of the injured were being treated at Rae Bareli district hospital while some of them were also sent to Allahabad, as per NTPC sources. The remaining with minor injuries were under medical supervision at NTPC hospital on the campus.

The local administration has pressed every available ambulance into rescue and relief operations. A National Disaster Response Force unit has been dispatched from Lucknow to assist in rescue operations.

NTPC's senior management has also rushed to the spot.

Union health minister JP Nadda spoke to state health minister about the accident. He has also asked union health secretary to extend all possible help.

State chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is in Mauritius on a three-day visit, expressed condolences and announced Rs2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs50,000 for the injured.

''An unfortunate accident in the boiler of 500MW under trial unit of NTPC, Unchahar, occurred this afternoon. Rescue operations are underway in close coordination with district administration. Injured persons are being shifted to the nearby hospitals,'' a government release stated.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident at the NTPC plant in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh.

''Deeply pained by the accident at the NTPC plant in Raebareli. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. The situation is being closely monitored and officials are ensuring normalcy is restored'', the prime minister said.