“Everything Else Collapsed”: A Survivor’s Harrowing Account of the Neyveli Power Plant Tragedy

The air was thick with the hum of machinery, a familiar rhythm for Karuppannan, 55, as he worked diligently at the NLC India power plant in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu. But in an instant, that rhythm was shattered, replaced by a deafening roar and the sickening sensation of the world crumbling around him.

“Everything else collapsed,” he recounted, his voice still heavy with the memory of pure terror.

On that fateful Wednesday, an explosion ripped through a boiler unit, specifically Unit V of the second thermal power station, at approximately 9:45 AM. What followed was a scene of utter chaos and devastation.

Karuppannan, who miraculously survived, described the terrifying seconds when the structure around him gave way. He was near the ill-fated boiler when the blast occurred, sending shockwaves through the plant and through his very being.

This horrific incident claimed the lives of nine individuals and left multiple others severely injured, their bodies scarred by the inferno.

For Karuppannan, escaping the immediate clutches of death was a miracle he will never forget. He managed to scramble to safety, emerging from the debris and smoke to witness the unfolding tragedy – a stark reminder of the fragile line between life and death in industrial environments.

The scale of the disaster quickly became apparent.

Rescue teams, including firefighters, police, and CISF personnel, swarmed the site, battling the intense heat and sifting through the wreckage. Ambulances rushed to transport the injured to the NLC hospital, and subsequently to specialized facilities in Chennai and other cities, as some victims had sustained severe burns, with estimates suggesting up to 70% to 80% burns on their bodies.

This tragedy marks the second major incident at the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) plant in a mere two months, raising serious questions about safety protocols and oversight.

Just in May, another boiler blast at a different unit had resulted in five deaths and three injuries. The recurrence of such fatal events has ignited widespread concern among workers, their families, and the general public, demanding immediate and thorough investigations.

Following the blast, NLC India promptly announced an internal inquiry to ascertain the cause and prevent future occurrences.

Concurrently, the Tamil Nadu government also ordered a high-level probe into the incident, reflecting the gravity of the situation and the public outcry. The focus now turns to accountability and ensuring that such preventable disasters do not happen again.

As the smoke clears and the investigations begin, the echoes of Karuppannan’s words – “Everything else collapsed” – serve as a chilling reminder of the human cost of industrial accidents, and the urgent need for stringent safety measures to protect those who keep the wheels of our industries turning.