In a heart-wrenching industrial mishap, six migrant laborers from Bihar perished in a fiery blast at a Balodabazar sponge iron facility in Chhattisgarh. The accident unfolded during the morning shift when hot ash escaped from a leaking pipeline, igniting the coal furnace and hurling molten metal onto unsuspecting workers below.
Chaos ensued as thick smoke billowed across the site, where over 50 employees were on duty. Rescue operations saved 11 individuals, but six succumbed to severe burns on the spot. The injured—Motaaj Ansari, Sarafat Ansari, Sabir Ansari, Kalpu Bhuiya, and Ramu Bhuiya—were airlifted to Bilaspur for specialized burn care.
Standing out in this tragedy is the story of Sundar and Rajdev Bharti, a father and son from Gaya who had ventured to Chhattisgarh merely two weeks ago for employment. The wife’s anguished recounting—that she spoke to her son at 9 AM, hearing all was well—adds a personal layer of devastation to the industrial failure.
Collector Deepak Soni coordinated with Bilaspur officials for victim treatment while sealing the premises. Interrogations of plant management are underway, with assurances of regulatory compliance and fair compensation. Central Minister Jitan Ram Majhi pledged aid, vowing to bring the bodies home.
This blast exposes vulnerabilities in small-scale iron plants, often plagued by inadequate maintenance and safety protocols. As families in Bihar mourn, calls grow for stricter oversight to safeguard vulnerable migrant workforce.