NTPC boiler blast in UP: Toll rises to 26; DM says likely to find more victims

Raebareli: At least 26 people have been killed as an ash-pipe connected to a boiler exploded due to pressure at the NTPC plant in Unchahar area of Raebareli on Wednesday, Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind kumar said on Thursday.

More than 60 people have been injured in the blast, Raebareli District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri said.

"22 causalities have been reported till now. 66 injured people are undergoing treatment. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is conducting rescue operations at the spot, so there are minute chances that more victims will be found," the District Magistrate said.

"We have constituted a team of a Magistrate and a Technical Officer, which will conduct a magisterial inquiry into the incident," he added.

According to Talha Shamsi, a doctor at the Raebarelli hospital, most of the victims suffered third-degree burns in the incident and were therefore shifted to Lucknow hospital.

"Yesterday, approximately 42 people came to our hospital. Two of them were brought dead. We gave first aid to the rest 40 people and shifted them to their ward. Around 30 to 32 people, critically burnt in the mishap, were referred to Lucknow," he said.

The doctor said, they kept their ambulances ready and vacated trauma wards after receiving information about the mishap. Many patients were immediately shifted to Unnao, Balrampur, and Pratapgarh.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi arrived in Raebarelli to visit the injured. The district is also the Parliamentary constituency of Rahul's mother and party President Sonia Gandhi.

Hours after the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of deceased, Rs 50,000 for critically injured and Rs 25,000 for injured.