Tata Steel factory explosion injures 11 workers

Jamshedpur: Eleven Tata Steel employees and contract workers were injured on Thursday following an explosion inside its factory here.

"Eleven persons were injured after explosion in the LD gas holder at our facility. Two of the injured are serious," a Tata Steel spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the area of the explosion has been sanitised and other factory operations are running as per schedule.

Following the explosion, a fire broke out in the adjoining gas pipeline. Six fire tenders were rushed to douse the flames, said inspector of factories, A K Mishra. The injured were admitted to Tata Main Hospital, he said.

The roof of the gas holder was badly damaged, Mishra said, adding the pipeline has been isolated.

The rubber material of the gas holder was melting in the fire and the priority was to control the fire, he said.

Meanwhile, one of the seriously injured employees was shifted to the critical care unit of the hospital, company sources said.

Both the fire and the gas emission were under control and there were no reports of any casualty.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police (City), Karthik S said the injuries were caused by splinters and not due to the explosion or gas emission.

Employees in the vicinity of the accident site were taken out safely.