6 dead in NLC boiler explosion in Neyveli

17 seriously hurt in second such incident in 3 months

In a major mishap, six workers were killed and 17 others suffered serious burn injuries when a boiler exploded at NLC India Limited, Neyveli in Cuddalore district on Wednesday. This is the second such incident at the power generation major in three months. On May 7, in a similar boiler blast, five persons, including two permanent staff, were killed in a boiler blast in Unit VI.

The NLC India Limited suspended Chief General Manager, Kothandam, for not maintaining the boiler properly and ordered a high level enquiry headed by P.K. Mohapatra, Retired Director (Technical), NTPC into the cause of the accident, apart from an Internal Enquiry Committee with senior executives headed by Director (Power) of NLCIL.

According to sources, the Thermal Power station-II consists of 7 units of 210 MW each. The power generated from Thermal Power Station II, after meeting the needs of Mine II, is sent to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Pudhucherry. The boiler in the fifth and sixth units exploded when the workers and employees were engaged in starting work at 10 am Wednesday.

In a tweet, Union home minister Amit Shah said he was anguished to learn about the loss of lives due to a blast at Neyveli power plant boiler in Tamil Nadu. “Have spoken to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and assured all possible help. The CISFHQ is already on the spot to assist the relief work. Praying for the earliest recovery of those injured,” his tweet read.

The six deceased were identified as Arun Kumar (age 25), Padmanabhan (30), Ramanathan (42), Nagaraj (30) and Venkatesa Perumal (37). The injured were rushed to a private hospital in Chennai.

Giving details of the mishap, NLCIL management said that at around 9.45 am in Unit V of TPS-II, which was under shutdown after it had tripped on Tuesday and that maintenance activities were being carried out when a fire broke out in the boiler area subsequent to an explosion, resulting in injuries. The maintenance team comprised one executive, two supervisors, three nonexecutive employees and 17 contract workmen. Of the 23 in the team, six workmen attached to a contractor succumbed to injuries on the spot.

All the four Units of 210 MW each of TPS-II Stage-II have been ordered to be shut down for immediate safety audit.