NEW DELHI, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The death toll at a boiler explosion in a government-run coal-fired power plant in India's Uttar Pradesh state has risen to 26, officials said Thursday.
"The death toll now stands at 26, while over 100 injured people are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the state. The toll may rise later in the day as the condition of some are critical," Uttar Pradesh's Home Secretary Arvind Kumar told the media in capital Lucknow.
The blast occurred at the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) plant at Unchahar town in the state's Raebareli district, some 110 km from Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow, Wednesday evening when nearly 200 workers were on duty.
Officials said rescuers have launched a massive search operation to look for plant workers still feared trapped under the debris.
"The accident took place in the ash-handling section of the plant and ash gushed out at high -temperature, burying several workers working around the area. The plant has been shut down, but we are looking for survivors," senior official Sanjay Kumar Khatri told the media.
The plant is almost 30 years old, but the boiler pipe burst took place in the 500 MW power generating unit that started operating in March this year. And the boiler that had exploded was actually on a trial run.
