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The death toll from a boiler explosion at a power plant in central India has risen to 19, with 17 others receiving treatment for injuries, police said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at a facility operated by Vedanta Limited in the Sakti district of Chhattisgarh state.
Authorities indicated that the blast was likely triggered by a ruptured pipeline, which released superheated steam onto workers who were reportedly on a lunch break at the time.
A senior police official confirmed the updated casualty figures, noting that victims were being treated across multiple hospitals.
“The death toll in the power plant blast has reached 19 whereas 17 are undergoing treatment in various hospitals,” district police chief Praful Thakur told AFP.
In response, Vedanta Resources chairman Anil Agarwal expressed deep distress over the incident and said a high-level investigation had been launched to determine the cause.
He added that the company would take all necessary steps to discover what led to the explosion.
“A high-level investigation into this incident has been initiated… We will leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of this matter,” he said.
State authorities have also opened a separate probe, with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai assuring that strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible.
Industrial accidents remain a recurring concern in India, often linked to lapses in safety standards and enforcement.
