Rourkela: A major industrial accident occurred at Dalmia Bharat Cement Limited (DBCL) plant in Rajgangpur under Sundargarh district Thursday when a coal hopper collapsed, reportedly trapping some workers beneath the debris. The incident took place between 5.30pm and 6.00pm at Line 2 during the loading of coal into the plant’s boiler unit. The number of workers affected was unclear when this report was filed. The accident is being treated as severe, as the hopper is typically managed by 12 workers. Mobile cranes and ambulances have been deployed to assist in the rescue operation. Reports suggest that plant authorities were aware of the deteriorating condition of the structure.
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Following the accident, other workers and family members of those presumed to be trapped gathered outside the plant. The situation outside the DBCL main gate became tense as the crowd grew. The workers could not be reached on their mobile phones, leaving uncertainty about the exact number of victims. The plant authorities also halted power supply to the entire facility for more than 30 minutes following the incident, though power was restored later. At the time of filing the report, plant authorities remained incommunicado.