A devastating short circuit at the NMDC Steel Plant in Nagarnar, Bastar district, resulted in a severe flash fire on Monday morning, leaving four workers with extensive burns. The incident occurred around 11 am during routine maintenance work at the plant’s tunnel furnace, highlighting serious safety concerns at the facility.

The injured workers include senior technician Tapas Nayak, Mahendra Kumar Lahre of Siemens, Devendra Nag of Singh Enterprises, and Amarendra Kumar Choudhary of Siemens. The maintenance work had been outsourced to two private companies contracted by NMDC, a practice that is now under scrutiny.

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The short circuit triggered a flash fire, which quickly engulfed the workers, causing severe burns. The intensity of the fire was such that it drew the immediate attention of other workers, who rushed to the scene. The four men were found in critical condition, with significant burn injuries. Emergency medical response was swift, with two of the critically injured workers being transferred to a hospital in Raipur for advanced treatment, while the other two are receiving care at the burn unit of Maharani Hospital.

This is not the first incident to raise alarms about safety at the NMDC Nagarnar Steel Plant. In May 2024, four workers sustained burns from a steam leak at one of the furnaces. Although they eventually recovered, the frequency of such incidents suggests a pattern of neglect and insufficient safety measures.

The recent incident at the tunnel furnace has exposed significant flaws in NMDC’s safety protocols and overall management. It has been revealed that no senior staff members were present at the time of the incident, pointing to a troubling lack of oversight during critical operations. Furthermore, investigations have shown that the electrical department failed to install any essential safety device that could have mitigated the impact of the short circuit.

While NMDC’s steel plant management initially attempted to attribute the incident to human error, deeper investigation has uncovered more profound systemic issues. There has been a lack of thorough quality checks on equipment supplied by vendors, raising concerns about the overall safety and reliability of the plant’s operations.

The flash fire has also highlighted gaps in the plant’s fire safety measures and raised questions about its vendor management practices. Criticism has been directed at the plant’s operational management team, with calls for greater transparency and accountability. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive review of the company’s fire safety protocols and vendor interactions to prevent such incidents from recurring.

The recent accident at the NMDC Steel Plant in Nagarnar serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need for reform in the company’s safety and management practices. The lack of effective oversight, the failure to implement essential safety measures, and the inadequacies in quality control must be addressed immediately. Additionally, ensuring that all employees, including those hired in recent years, are covered by comprehensive insurance is a matter of urgency.