The Andhra Pradesh government today ordered an inquiry in the explosion at the state-owned steel plant here which claimed 11 lives and left eight others critically injured including GM V Kalsi.

The explosion occurred at the oxygen control unit near the Steel Melting Shop-II at the plant of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) last night.

Expressing anguish over the incident, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the authorities concerned to conduct an inquiry under the Factories Act and submit a report immediately.

The joint chief inspector of factories will conduct the inquiry while the Director of Factories will also take stock of the situation, according to Information and Public Relations Commissioner R V Chandravadan.

"A committee is also being constituted to examine and probe the incident which resulted in the death of 11 persons and left eight injured," the Commissioner said.

Speaking to PTI after visiting the blast site, District Collector Lav Agarwal said the condition of some of the injured, who received 90 per cent burns in the blaze caused after the explosion is, critical.

Among the critically injured are Visakhapatnam Steel Plant General Manager (Projects) D Kalsi, Assistant General Managers LAS Rao, Ranjan Bhattacharya and MBRS Sarma, Senior Manager K Srinivasa Rao and three foremen who are battling for life at a corporate hospital here.

"The work was in progress at oxygen limiting well located in a concrete building where six employees of the plant were engaged for the job. They all were killed at the spot due to the blast and huge fire that occurred," a CISF official said.

"Eleven employees outside, including V Kalsi (GM Project), sustained serious injuries and they were immediately shifted to hospital by a CISF quick reaction team and the fire wing personnel," the official said.

The official said the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which guards the installation, was earlier asked by Kalsi to be present at the spot as they could be needed in case of any emergency like fire or other related disaster.

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