NTPC explosion: PM Narendra Modi condoles accident as death toll mounts to 18

PM Narendra Modi has said the situation after a blast at an NTPC plant is being monitored closely.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the explosion at an NTPC plant in Uttar Pradesh and assured that efforts are being made to restore normalcy. The explosion took place in a boiler and killed at least 18 while injuring close to 100.

PM Modi took to Twitter to express condolences and said that the situation is being closely monitored. "Deeply pained by the accident at the NTPC plant in Raebareli," he wrote on the micro-blogging site. "My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. The situation is being closely monitored & officials are ensuring normalcy is restored."

Deeply pained by the accident at the NTPC plant in Raebareli. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. The situation is being closely monitored & officials are ensuring normalcy is restored: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 1, 2017

The blast occured  in the boiler of 500MW under trial unit at its plant in Uchahar (Raebareli district) - some 110 kilometers from the state capital of Lucknow. 

A senior official said the unit was the sixth at NTPC and was commissioned on March 31 this year. Panic-stricken labourers ran in all directions to escape from the explosion. Many received burn injuries. 

An alert was sounded at the community health centre (CHC), district hospital and at other medical centres after the accident. Medical officials said every available ambulance was pressed into action.

State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is in Mauritius on a three-day visit, also expressed condolences and annoucned Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed. Rs 50,000 has been announced for those injured.