A major industrial accident took place early Tuesday morning at a private steel melting unit in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate, Gummidipoondi, in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district, after a giant furnace boiler exploded, triggering a massive fire inside the factory.
The explosion claimed the life of 26-year-old Ravi Ranjan, a worker from Bihar, while seven other workers, most of them migrant labourers from northern India, suffered severe burn injuries. The blast was so powerful that it sent debris flying across the factory premises, causing panic among employees working nearby.
Soon after the explosion, Fire and Rescue Services rushed to the spot and battled the blaze for nearly two hours before bringing it under control.
The injured workers were shifted to government and private hospitals in Gummidipoondi, Chengalpattu, and Chennai, where several are reported to be in critical condition.
Rescue teams also carried out an extensive search operation to ensure that no workers were trapped inside the damaged facility.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Officials are examining whether the accident was caused by a technical failure, equipment malfunction, or lapses in industrial safety protocols.
Labour and factory safety authorities are also expected to inspect the plant as part of the investigation.