Nine workers sustained burn injuries, including two who are in critical condition, after hot slag from a smelting unit fell on them at state-run Visakhapatnam Steel Plant on Saturday, officials said.
The incident took place around 12.30 pm when the workers tried to clear the molten slag that was stuck in the plant's Steel Melting Shop-2.
Hot slag splashed on the nine workers causing burns and all the injured persons were given first aid at Visakha Steel General Hospital. They were later shifted to a tertiary hospital in the city for further treatment, company officials said.
Two of them sustained 60 per cent burns and their condition was said to be serious.
Family members of the injured requested the management to shift them to Mumbai for better treatment. The injured were identified as Anil Pahiwala (DGM), Jay Kumar (senior manager), Eswar Naik (technician) and Panda Sahu (chargeman).
The contract workers were Bangarayya, Suribabu, Appalaraju, Srinivas and Pothayya. Atul Bhatt, CMD of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) along with D K Mohanty, Director (Commercial), RINL and other senior officials visited the injured workers at the hospital and also met their family members.
RINL is the holding corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.