19 injured in steam leak in Tata Steel's Meramundali steel plant

At least 19 people sustained serious injuries after a steam pipe burst at Tata Steel's Meramandali Works in Dhenkanal, Odisha, on Tuesday, as per reports.

The accident occurred at 1 pm during the course of an inspection.

"Around 19 persons were injured when a valve carrying hot water got opened," Dhenkanal SP Gyanaranjan Mohapatra was quoted by local media.


Tata Steel said the injured were immediately shifted to the Occupational Health Centre inside the plant premises and then to Cuttack for further treatment.

"Immediately post the accident, all the emergency protocol services were activated and the area has been cordoned off. The company is ensuring all necessary information and support to the families of the affected personnel," Tata Steel said in a statement.

The company said it was working closely with relevant authorities on the ground and has initiated an internal investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Meramandali Works is one of India's largest integrated steel mills equipped with steelmaking and finishing facilities. The facility has 5.6 million tonnes per annum of steelmaking capacity.