Ramgarh | August 24, 2026 | INFRAINTEL Bureau
(The New Indian Express)
The families of three engineers killed in a fire at Maa Chinnamastika Ispat in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district have received Rs 31 lakh each following a 14-hour protest and negotiations with the factory management.
Under an agreement reached late on August 22, the management paid Rs 30 lakh as compensation and Rs 1 lakh for cremation and last-rites expenses to each family, Labour Superintendent Anil Kumar Ranjan said.
The agreement was signed in the presence of labour officials, local representatives and villagers. The families have also demanded employment for one dependent of each deceased and a high-level investigation.
Sanjiv Kumar Keshari, Vineet Kumar Mahto and Abhishek Pandey died from severe burn injuries after a fire and explosion in the captive power plant at Hehal village around midnight on August 21.
Another employee, Tarun Rajwar, remains under treatment at a private hospital in Ranchi and was reported to be stable. The factory management has been directed to provide improved treatment facilities.
Officials said a turbine exploded after a control panel overheated, but the exact cause remains under investigation. A two-member team comprising a factory inspector and the Chotanagpur deputy chief inspector has been assigned to examine the incident.
Villagers and family members had blocked the factory gate and refused removal of the bodies until their demands were addressed. Protesters also sought a comprehensive safety audit of the plant.
The compensation agreement addresses immediate financial relief but does not resolve questions of criminal, civil or regulatory responsibility. The investigation should examine maintenance records, control-panel protection, alarm and shutdown systems, staffing, emergency response and compliance with factory-safety requirements.