Vizag Steel Plant explosion toll rises to 9

VISAKHAPATNAM: The death toll from the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant explosion has risen to nine, following the death of another worker on Wednesday.

A sudden severe explosion in Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (Vizag Steel Plant) in Vizag killed eight workers and injured six more on June 8, followed by another worker succumbing to severe burn injuries today.

"The latest casualty is identified as Pydiraju, who succumbed to burns at 8.17 am this morning," Visakhapatnam district joint collector G Vidhyadhari told PTI.

She said the body was shifted to King George Hospital in the port city for post mortem.

Later, Pydiraju's body was handed over to his family members.

Pydiraju was one of the two workers among the six injured who suffered 90 percent burns, the joint collector added.