Four Fatalities in Chimney Collapse at Asansol Power Plant
A tragic incident at a West Bengal power plant results in four deaths during construction.
Four workers died after a chimney collapsed at Shyam SEL And Power Limited.
The accident occurred in Jamuria, coinciding with a stampede in Kolkata.
An inquiry will investigate the cause, with safety measures reportedly in place.
On Saturday evening, a section of an under-construction chimney at the Shyam SEL And Power Limited facility in Asansol, West Bengal, collapsed, leading to the deaths of four workers. The incident took place while construction was ongoing in the Jamuria area, where several laborers were present at the site when the accident occurred.
Jamuria's MLA, Bijan Mukherjee, reported that four individuals were trapped under the debris. Although three were confirmed dead at the scene, one worker was transported to a hospital but unfortunately succumbed to injuries despite being placed on ventilator support. Mukherjee expressed his condolences, noting the tragic timing of the incident occurring on the Saptami, the seventh day of the Durga Puja festival.
The MLA refrained from labeling the incident as negligence, emphasizing that Shyam SEL is a reputable company with well-trained personnel. He mentioned that the concrete used was freshly laid, suggesting that an unforeseen issue may have caused the collapse. Safety gear was reportedly utilized by the workers at the time of the accident.
This incident occurred concurrently with a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, approximately 200 kilometers away, which resulted in 18 fatalities and 25 injuries. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed the casualties from the stampede, highlighting the unfortunate series of events on the same day.
An official inquiry will be launched to determine the precise cause of the chimney collapse. Local authorities are expected to review safety protocols and construction practices to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
