Two employees died after suspected gas exposure inside ESL Steel Limited’s integrated plant at Siyaljori in Bokaro district on Sunday, prompting officials to seal the affected area and order an inquiry into the incident.
The deceased were identified as Sohan Mahto, 40, a shift in-charge from Hazaribag, and Sameer Ansari, 30, an engineer employed by one of the company’s business partners in Dhanbad. Officials said the incident occurred at around 9 am inside the plant.
Both men were examined at the facility before being shifted to hospital, where doctors declared them dead. The type of gas involved and the precise source of exposure had not been established by Sunday evening. Officials said the plant handles several hazardous gases and that exposure to a colourless, odourless gas could not be ruled out.
Factory inspector Shivanand Laguri directed the company management to cordon off the affected site and declare it unsafe. Entry has been barred until the gas is identified and its concentration is brought within safe limits. Gas concentration is being assessed in parts per million, or PPM, a measurement used to determine whether exposure levels are safe for people entering the affected area.
“It is not safe to enter the affected area for inspection until the leaked gas is identified and the PPM level comes under control. The company management has been directed to cordon off the area and prevent anyone from entering the site,” Laguri said.
Bokaro deputy commissioner Ajay Nath Jha ordered Chas sub-divisional magistrate Pranjal Dhadha to conduct an inquiry and submit a report at the earliest. He also directed Bokaro superintendent of police Nathu Singh Meena to monitor the situation. “The inquiry report will help establish whether there were any safety lapses. Appropriate action will be taken based on the findings,” Jha said.
The incident places the plant’s hazardous-gas handling systems under official scrutiny, although authorities have not yet identified the gas or concluded whether any safety lapse occurred. The cordon and entry restrictions are intended to prevent further exposure while the site is assessed.
In a statement, an ESL Steel spokesperson said the company “deeply mourns the tragic demise of both individuals” and extended condolences to their families. The company said it was providing assistance and support to both families. The spokesperson also said ESL Steel would conduct an independent investigation and take appropriate steps based on its findings.
ESL Steel Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Iron & Steel Limited, operates an integrated long-products steel plant at Siyaljori in Chandankiyari block. The immediate official steps are the identification of the leaked gas, measurement and control of its concentration, completion of the administrative inquiry and the company’s independent investigation.
