6 killed, 17 injured in TN thermal plant blast

A boiler exploded at NLC India's thermal plant in Tamil Nadu's Neyveli district killing six people and leaving 17 others injured last week. The plant had been shut for safety audit, the company said. An official has been suspended and a high level inquiry has been ordered, the company, a 'navratna' public enterprise, said. Home minister Amit Shah spoke to chief minister K Palaniswami and assured him of all possible help. The deceased were in the age group of 25-42. Palaniswami announced a solatium of Rs 300,000 to the families of each of the six workers who were killed and an assistance of Rs 100,000 and Rs 50,000 to those who suffered serious and mild injuries respectively. The mishap occurred at the fifth unit of the thermal power station-II when workers were in the process of resuming operations which includes maintenance work following a shutdown, the official said. A fire broke out in the boiler area subsequent to the explosion resulting in injuries to the maintenance team.