8 affected in toxic gas leakage in RSP

BHUBANESWAR: At least two contract workers and two senior officers of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in Orissa fell ill on Sunday following leakage of toxic gas in one of its blast furnaces.

The affected persons were immediately admitted in the Ispat General Hospital at Rourkela.

Earlier four were discharged immediately after first-aid treatment, the rest were shifted to intensive care unit as their condition worsened, a spokesman of the RSP told “The ET”. “The employees undergoing treatment are now out of danger,” chief of communication of RSP Rahman Khan said.

Those who were undergoing treatment have been identified as B.B.Majhi (senior manager), B.B.Lakra (assistant manager) and contract workers S.Mahananda and M. Koleth.

The mishap occurred at around 5.20 am when the No. 4 blast furnace of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) managed steel plant, which was under maintenance.