Bhubaneswar, Nov. 15: A growing suspicion over the death toll in November 13 blast furnace fire in the Bhushan steel plant in Dhenkanal has sparked off a controversy.

Official sources, on conditions of anonymity, said that as many as eight persons had lost their lives in the accident. The figure was also confirmed by sources in the directorate of factories and boilers. So far, the company has said that one person died and 19 were injured in the fire.

“At least eight people have died in the accident on November 13. Because of the fact that the collector and the district superintendent of police were not given access to the spot immediately, the truth could not come out. Bodies have been destroyed in the furnace heat. The remnants must have got mixed with iron, slag and gases in the furnace,” said a source in the director of factories and boilers.

The blast furnace-II, where the accident had taken place, is now holding more than 4,000 tonnes of materials.

Director of the factories and boilers P.C. Das indicated that the number of deaths could be more than one.

In another development, a forensic team has started collecting samples to ascertain the number of deaths.

Urging the government to come out with the figures on the number of causalities, many trade union activists today staged a demonstration in front of the directorate of factories and boilers here and allegedly ransacked its office. “They are trying to suppress the facts,” said trade union leader Naba Mohanty. Hundreds of local people, led by former MP Rudra Naryan Pani, also stormed the steel plant at Meramandali today and locked it.

In the wake of the controversy, the state government has decided to monitor the number of workers coming and leaving various plants in the state. Labour and employees state insurance minister Bijayshree Routray said: “We have asked the labour commissioner to introduce biometric cards to ascertain the number of entries to the plants.”

The government has also asked the director of factories and boilers to conduct an inspection on blast furnace-I. “If we find lack of safety measures, we will certainly seal it like blast furnace-II. The supply of power and coal has already been snapped to the blast furnace-II,” he said.

Though the government for the past one year had been asking the plant management to conduct audit safety, they are yet to comply with it. “Now, an expert team from IIT, Kharagpur will conduct the audit,” an official said.

Reports about some plant officials meeting Routray at his residence last night has kicked off another controversy. “They came to submit a representation, which has already been given to the district collector,” said the minister.

In its representation, the Bhusan steel authorities have sought permission to continue blowing-in of the blast furnace-II and restoring safe condition on the premises. However, they warned that if they were not allowed to go ahead with their operations, it would create a disaster like situation. “If the blast furnace blowing-in is discontinued at this point of time, all the liquid will start freezing inside the furnace in uncontrolled manner. It may lead to generation of high thermal stresses resulting in failure and release of toxic and inflammable carbon monoxide gas to the surrounding areas,” stated the representation.

The state pollution control board has also toughened its stand on the plant. “We have decided to register a case against the plant for not adhering to the laws related to various sections of air and water pollution. They had not obtained the required permission from the board to start the commissioning of their blast furnace-II,” said a board official.