Visakhapatnam steel plant blast: Pawan Kalyan, Lokesh meet injured and bereaved families
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) visited the workers injured in the
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) visited the workers injured in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant blast and the families of those killed, and assured them of the State government’s support. Pawan Kalyan visited KIMS Hospital at Sheelanagar, where some of the injured are being treated. He spoke to the workers, asked about their condition and the care being given, and met their families. He also held discussions with the doctors and reviewed the treatment. District Collector Abhishikt Kishore briefed him on the accident, the rescue and relief work after the blast, and the support being extended by the district administration.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan meets workers injured in the RINL steel plant blast at KIMS Hospital in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. Video: Special Arrangement pic.twitter.com/Mtq95VZAq6 — The Hindu - Andhra Pradesh (@THAndhra) June 9, 2026 Lokesh, accompanied by Andhra Pradesh MoS Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, State Home Minister V. Anitha, Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat and TDP State president Palla Srinivasa Rao, visited Seven Hills Hospital, where several of the injured are being treated. He told the workers the government would stand by them, and directed the doctors to ensure the best care. He later visited King George Hospital (KGH) and met the families of some of the workers killed, offering condolences.
The families sought justice. Lokesh said an inquiry into the blast had begun, and that strong action would be taken against those found responsible. IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh meeting the kin of workers killed in the RINL steel plant blast, in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. Photo: Special Arrangement pic.twitter.com/VvJ9yjGjCR — The Hindu - Andhra Pradesh (@THAndhra) June 9, 2026 Later, the Minister visited King George Hospital (KGH), where he met the family members of some of the deceased workers. Expressing condolences over the loss of lives, Mr Lokesh assured the bereaved families that the government would extend all support required for their welfare and rehabilitation.
Srinivasa Rao called for a high-level technical inquiry into the cause of the accident and a safety audit of all heavy industries in the region. The accident occurred around 4.15 p.m. on Monday (June 8, 2026), in the Steel Melt Shop-1 (SMS-1) of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. During casting at Caster-2, a ladle of hot crude steel, at around 1,500°C, exploded before the slide gate could be opened. The blast set off a fireball that engulfed Overhead Crane-2 and spilled molten metal onto the shop floor. Eight workers were killed and six others critically injured.
The BriefWire