Two Back-to-Back Explosions Rock Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

A major industrial tragedy unfolded at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant on Monday, where two consecutive explosions were reported in the Steel Melting Shop (SMS-2 and SMS-1). The first blast occurred at around 3:57 PM in SMS-2 during ladle handling of molten steel, resulting in around 60 tons of molten metal spilling. Despite the severity, 16 workers, including permanent staff and contract employees, narrowly escaped.

Shortly after, at around 4:25 PM, a second massive explosion struck SMS-1 in the continuous casting section, leading to the death of 8 workers on the spot. Union leaders claimed that safety protocols were being ignored due to production pressure, and warnings about gas removal and material quality had been raised earlier. Authorities and trade unions are now calling for a detailed investigation into repeated safety violations.