Vedanta Power Plant Blast: Death Toll Rises to 24

April 19, 2026

Raipur/Sakti: Another worker from Jharkhand injured in the boiler explosion at Vedanta Limited’s power plant in Singhitarai village, Sakti district, Chhattisgarh, died on Sunday while undergoing treatment at Raigarh Medical College.

The deceased has been identified as Manish Kumar. With this, the death toll in the April 14 accident has risen to 24.

Condition of injured still critical

A total of 36 workers were seriously burnt in the explosion. According to sources, the condition of three of the remaining injured remains critical.

Officials have assured that all the injured are being provided with the best possible treatment and the families of the deceased are being provided with all possible assistance.

Currently, 12 injured workers are undergoing treatment.

Preliminary investigation indicates negligence

The explosion occurred in a pipe carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine.

The Chief Boiler Inspector’s preliminary investigation revealed possible negligence, including increased pressure due to excessive fuel accumulation.

Investigation intensified, multiple agencies involved

The administration and central agencies have intensified the investigation. On April 18, an eight-member team from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) visited the plant and examined the production logbook for the past 14 days.

The team also gathered information about the frequency of technical shutdowns over the past month.

According to sources, the plant had experienced several technical malfunctions over the past year, including a shutdown about 10 days before the accident.

The investigation team has collected evidence from the scene and interviewed management, employees, and officials. The administration says the exact cause of the accident will be known only after the final report is released.

This incident once again raises serious questions about industrial safety and maintenance in the area.