Dhenkanal, July 4: An unskilled worker was killed in an accident at Bhushan Steel Plant this morning triggering tension in and around the factory. This is the latest in a string of accidents at the facility.

The deceased, Thomas Soren, 28, who hails from Jharkhand, had joined the coke oven plant of the steel-making facility in May. He was crushed under a crane while he was on duty this morning and was seriously injured.

He was taken first to Angul hospital and then, an attempt was made to shift him to Cuttack. He succumbed on the way to Cuttack, said inspector in-charge of Kantabania police station P.K. Jena.

As the news of his death spread, hundreds of workers of the steel plant stopped work and squatted in front of the factory from 8am to 2pm. Finally, the plant authorities agreed to pay Rs 12 lakh as compensation, besides Rs 50,000 as funeral expenses. This led to the withdrawal of protest by the workers.

"We rushed to plant immediately and controlled the workers' unrest. The injured was being shifted to Cuttack because of his critical injuries but he died on the way. A case has been registered. Later, the plant management and workers' union arrived at an agreement under which the deceased's family would be paid Rs 12 lakh, in addition to Rs 50,000 as funeral expenses. The situation in the plant became normal in the afternoon," Jena said.