Date:02/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/02/stories/2008090256200700.htm

National

Four killed after inhaling toxic gas from steel plant

Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR: At least four persons were killed after inhaling poisonous gas that emanated from a steel plant in Orissa’s Sambalpur district on Sunday.

Two persons, who had gone to repair a leak point on the valve connecting the blast furnace, were said to have died on the spot while two succumbed on way to hospital. Two persons had fallen ill under the impact of the gas leak. District officials said sulphur dioxide was being used for heating the furnace.

The victims were employees of Bhushan Power and Steel Limited at Thelkoloi on the outskirts of Sambalpur. They were identified as Anjan Nayak, Satyapriya Pani, Dipak Pandey and Jamadar Mehta, all contract workers. “Police arrested six persons in this connection. We are investigating into the gas leak,” said Sambalpur district magistrate P. K. Patnaik.