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Blast in UP’s NTPC plant kills 20

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Smoke billows from NTPC’s Unchahar Power Plant in Rae Bareli district on Wednesday
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TNS & Agencies

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Lucknow, November 1

A massive explosion ripped a boiler at the state-run power giant NTPC’s Unchahar plant in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli district today, killing at least 20 persons and injuring nearly 100, officials said.

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The NTPC initiated a probe to ascertain the reasons behind the blast, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the grievously injured.

“Twenty deaths have been confirmed by the district administration. Twenty-two persons with severe burns have been referred to Lucknow,” ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said, adding the number of casualties could rise.

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The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) said at a unit of its Unchahar plant, there was a sudden abnormal sound at 20-metre elevation around 3.30 pm. There was an opening in corner number two from which hot flue gases and steam escaped,  affecting the people working around the area, NTPC said.

It added nearly 80 persons were rushed to NTPC hospital, most of whom were discharged after first-aid.

The 1,550-MW plant supplies electricity to nine states, according to officials, and employs around 870 persons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply pained” by the accident at the power plant and added that the situation was being closely monitored. The UP Chief Minister, on a three-day official visit to Mauritius, directed Principal Secretary (Home) to ensure that all steps were taken for rescue operations.

A National Disaster Response Force team was also despatched to the explosion site from Lucknow.

An injured employee undergoing treatment at a hospital said that a sudden gush of hot gas with contents of ash-like material engulfed him at the NTPC plant.

The man said he was unable to understand what had happened and found himself on a hospital bed with his body scalded all over, when he regained consciousness.

Rae Bareli Chief Medical Officer DK Singhsaid  if necessary, some of the critical cases could be referred to Delhi by air ambulance.

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