Janjgir (Chhattisgarh), Apr 12 (PTI) At least 13 officials and workers were injured following an explosion in a blast furnace at a sponge iron plant in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district on Saturday afternoon, police said.

The incident took place around 4.30 pm at Prakash Sponge Iron Limited in Kota Dabri area of Champa town, said district Superintendent of Police Vivek Shukla.

As an explosion took place in the blast furnace, hot molten iron inside it spilled on officials and workers present at the site, causing them burn injuries, he said.

“Some of them have sustained serious injuries,” added SP Shukla.

All the injured persons have been shifted to Raipur for treatment, he said.

An industrial safety inspector and forensic team have been sent to the spot to ascertain the cause of the explosion and further probe is underway, the official said. PTI COR TKP KRK