Two engineers killed in accident at Vizag Steel Plant

Two engineers were killed Monday due to suspected leakage of carbon monoxide in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, company officials said.

The accident occurred in a steel melt shop when the two engineers were on an inspection. The gas leakage also caused a fire in SMS-2 complex of the state-owned Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), popularly known as Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. The fire-fighting personnel doused the flames.

The two engineers - Rajneesh Singh (35) and Anush Bhaskar (30) - were working for SMS Seimag India Ltd and engaged by RINL on a contract job under its expansion project.

According to a statement by RINL, the two engineers were found unconscious at the lab, while carrying out an inspection job.

A probe has been ordered into the accident to find out the reasons. Leaders of the employees' unions have urged the managements of both the RINL and Seimag to take immediate steps to prevent recurrent of such incidents and offer suitable compensation to the families of the victims.

The unions alleged that safety measures were not strengthened despite a major accident in the same steel melt shop that killed 19 employees two years ago.