JNS: Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) was gripped by chaos on Saturday morning following a major incident at its Hot Strip Mill. The plant area was suddenly enveloped in smoke during operations, sparking fears of a potential poisonous gas leak.
In response, the plant management swiftly initiated rescue and relief efforts. The hospital was put on high alert as a precautionary measure. However, the management of BSL has denied any claims of a poisonous gas leak.
The incident forced all workers and employees to evacuate the plant as a safety measure. Management has advised people to stay away from the Hot Strip Mill until further notice.
A district administration official said that, two or three workers were injured and admitted to the hospital.
Eyewitnesses stated that the incident occurred around 8–8:30 am during scheduled maintenance work on the mixed gas pipeline supplying gas to the hot strip mill’s reheating furnace.
The closed pipeline, which was devoid of gas, required a compensator change, leading to cutting and welding work. Sparks from the welding ignited inflammable substances such as Naptha and Sulphur stored in the pipeline, causing significant smoke to spread to the hot strip mill and creating a brief period of chaos.
A BSL public relations official clarified that there was no gas leakage and urged people not to panic. The fire has been extinguished, and senior officers are overseeing the situation on-site. Fortunately, no employees were injured in the incident.
The official advised against believing or spreading rumours and stressed the importance of accurate information dissemination.
