1 killed, 3 injured in high-pressure gas leak at Navi Mumbai power plant

A chief boiler supervisor was killed and three others injured after gas leaked from a booster pump at the gas turbine power station of the Maharashtra Power Generation Company at Uran in Navi Mumbai

A chief boiler supervisor was killed and three others injured on Sunday after gas leaked from a high-pressure booster pump at the gas turbine power station of the Maharashtra Power Generation Company at Uran in Navi Mumbai, officials said.

Police had earlier said an explosion in the boiler pump of the unit, located 48 km from Mumbai, led to the casualties.

A statement from the Maharashtra Power Generation Company (Mahagenco) said at about 1230 hrs, there was a gas leak from a high-pressure booster pump, while a 120 MW unit located nearby was operational at Uran.

Police said the leak was akin to an explosion, which led to the casualties.

A team of Vivek Dhumale, the deceased supervisor, boiler technician K K Patil and Vishnu Patil, a helper who is a contractual employee, was carrying out a routine inspection when the accident occurred, Mahagenco said.

All three received burn injuries, the statement said, adding that Dhumale succumbed to injuries while being taken to the Airoli Burns Centre in Navi Mumbai while the other two are being treated in the intensive care unit of the specialised institute.

Desk Operator Pradip Singh sustained minor injuries in the incident and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital, Mahagenco said.

A boiler at the plant has been shut following the freak accident and efforts are on to get the overall facility back on track, it said.

Senior brass from Mahagenco led by director Sanjay Marudkar and executive director Girish Kumarwar visited the hospital at Airoli.

A detailed investigation will be carried out by experts from the Mahagenco headquarters, the statement said.