At least nine people — all regular and contractual employees — were hospitalised on Monday following a suspected leak of liquefied carbon monoxide gas from a blast furnace at Steel Authority of India Limited-run Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in Odisha’s Rourkela steel township.
The industrial mishap of this nature took place while the employees were working at the blast furnace site. Due to a suspected gas leak, the employees developed symptoms of dizziness and nausea after they came in contact with toxic gaseous substances, said an RSP official.
After the employees at the site felt unwell, they were immediately shifted to Ispat General Hospital. All of them are recuperating. Their health is stable. The suspected source of leakage has been plugged on time, he added.
Meanwhile, the RSP authorities have constituted an inquiry committee to ascertain the exact cause of the mishap. Stringent disciplinary action will be initiated if the inquiry committee finds lapses in safety measures, the official concluded.
The residents of the steel town were in a state of panic as the report of gas leak spread fast. However, they heaved a sigh of relief as the leak had a limited impact with the plant site.