18 killed in NTPC’s thermal unit blast

A massive explosion ripped through a boiler in the power giant NTPC's plant in Rae Bareli district on Wednesday, killing at least 18 persons; scores have suffered severe burn injuries. The number of dead and injured may mount as many are believed to be trapped inside the unit.

The boiler burst in the 500 MW power generating unit that started operating in March at the plant in Unchahar, which is nearly 30 years old. A massive fire erupted and a huge ball of dust rose after the explosion, making rescue difficult. In a statement, the NTPC said that at around 1530 hrs at unit number six of its Unchahar plant, there was a sudden abnormal sound at 20 meters elevation. There was an opening in corner number two from which hot flue gases and steam escaped affecting the people working around the area.

The explosion triggered panic among the employees who ran helter-skelter. Such explosions can generate searing heat, an official said. An injured employee undergoing treatment at a hospital said that a sudden gush of hot gas with contents of ash-like material engulfed him.

He was unable to understand what had happened and found himself on a hospital bed with his body scalded all over, when he regained consciousness.

The plant has now been shut down. A National Disaster Response Force team has been sent to help in the rescue effort. Incidentally, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is in Mauritius on a three-day official visit; he has ordered Rs. 2 lakh compensation for the families of the dead and Rs. 50,000 for the badly injured.

The Unchahar sub-division in Raebareli district is 110 km from the state capital. Union Power minister R K Singh, through social media posts, expressed deep anguish at the loss of lives and said that he had directed the NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh to rush to the site.