Chhattisgarh Smelting Plant Accident Kills Labourer, Many Trapped

At least one labourer was killed and several others are feared trapped or dead after a silo-chimney iron structure at a smelting plant in Chhattisgarh’s Mungeli district collapsed on Thursday. The incident took place around noon at a private smelting facility located near Rambod and Saragaon villages, about 60 kilometres from Mungeli district headquarters and 35 kilometres from Bilaspur town. Authorities were quick to respond, with police and rescue teams deployed to the site.

Mungeli Superintendent of Police Bhojram Patel, who was present at the scene, informed TOI, “The Silo is an iron structure used in storing hot ash in bulk. It was erected at the smelting plant and came down crashing suddenly, trapping at least 4-5 persons. While two labourers were rescued and admitted at a hospital in Bilaspur, rescue operation is still underway.” Patel further added that the debris removal process was underway, but the weight of the wreckage, over 70 tons, along with hot ash, would require time to cool before further work could be done.

The rescue efforts are expected to continue overnight. Bilaspur range Inspector General of Police Sanjeev Shukla, confirmed, “The two injured labourers were rushed to hospital but one has succumbed late evening while another is critical. The ash inside the silo is as hot as 112-degree temperatures. Efforts were being made to empty the ash so that the structure could be removed to check what lay under it. Cranes and other heavy equipment vehicles were on the spot escalating the rescue operation.”

Shukla mentioned that, despite the extreme temperatures around the silo, the likelihood of multiple casualties was reduced. However, according to the factory management, a supervisor and another labourer have remained missing since the incident, raising concerns they may be trapped under the collapsed structure. A truck that had been parked nearby narrowly escaped involvement in the incident, as the driver had stepped away to fetch food during lunchtime, preventing any harm to him.

The area surrounding the site has been cordoned off, and no outsiders are allowed entry. However, residents and labourers have gathered in protest, voicing concerns over alleged violations of safety norms at the plant and the long-pending repair works. The plant, currently undergoing expansion, has been at the centre of criticism. The protesting workers are demanding a high-level inquiry into the accident.

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