Raipur:  At least 10 employees were killed and several others were injured Tuesday in a blast at the Bhilai Steel Plant of state-owned SAIL in Chhattisgarh's Durg district on Tuesday. Inspector General of Police (Durg Range) G P Singh reported that the explosion took place around 11 am in a gas pipeline connected to the coke oven section of the plant in Bhilai town, located around 30 km away from the capital.

"At least nine people were burnt to death" he said. It is reported that over 24 employees were working at the spot when the accident occurred, he said.

Rescue operation was still underway at the plant, operated by the state-run Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and all the victims were being taken to a local hospital.

Earlier in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dedicated the modernised and expanded Bhilai Steel Plant to the nation.

As per SAIL's website, the Bhilai Steel Plant is India's sole producer and supplier of world class rails for the Indian Railways, including 260 metre long rails, and a major producer of a large variety of wide and heavy steel plates and structural steel.

With an annual production capacity of 3.153 MT of saleable steel, the plant also specialises in other products such as wire rods and merchant products.

(with additional inputs from agencies)