3 min readRanchiApr 6, 2026 06:27 PM ISTA total of nine people were injured in the blast that took place at the Jharkhand Ispat Plant Private Limited in Hesla. (Express Photo)One worker died and seven suffered severe burns in a furnace explosion at a plant in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district on Monday.A total of nine people were injured in the blast that took place at the Jharkhand Ispat Plant Private Limited in Hesla. According to Ramgarh police, the blast took place at around 4 am while work was underway at the plant. Officers said the explosion was so powerful that it triggered panic in the surrounding area. Workers near the furnace were caught in molten iron and flames, they said, adding that production activities were immediately halted following the incident.All the injured were initially taken for treatment to Ramgarh town, after which the critically injured were referred to Ranchi, where a worker named Ashok Bedia later died during treatment at Dev Kamal Hospital, officials at the hospital said.Also Read | ‘Died in September, family told in March’: Russia-Ukraine war claims Jammu youth’s lifeThe injured have been identified as Akhil Rai, Brijlal Bedia, Rajbalan Yadav, Mahesh Mahto, Ashok Bedia, Pandit Ji (Raju Jha), Chhotu Saw and Suresh Bedia.Ramgarh police station in-charge Naveen Prakash Pandey said the blast appeared to be related to excessive furnace temperature. “Preliminary findings suggest that the explosion may have been caused by a technical fault or negligence of safety standards, though the exact cause is yet to be ascertained,” he said.He said no complaint or FIR has been registered yet in connection with the incident.Police and administrative officials reached the spot soon after the incident and have initiated an inquiry. “Police and forensic teams are working to ascertain the exact cause of the blast,” said Pandey.Story continues below this adThe incident has triggered anger among local residents and labour organisations, who have accused the plant management of ignoring safety norms and demanded strict action.While talking about the investigation, Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz said that as far as the investigation is concerned, this is an industrial matter and not within the district’s mandate. “It is a technical issue, which will be examined by the industry and technical experts themselves. If it were a furnace or boiler blast, then what exactly caused it, whether excessive heat or something else, is something only the industry will be able to determine. It is a private company,” he said.Shubham Tigga is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, presently based in Pune, where he covers the intersections of infrastructure, labor, and the modern economy. His reporting focuses on civil aviation, urban mobility, the gig economy, and workers' unions, providing critical insights into how transit and commercial sectors impact the daily lives of citizens. Expertise & Background Before moving to Pune, he reported extensively from his home state of Chhattisgarh, where he focused on Indigenous (Adivasi) issues, environmental justice, and grassroots struggles in mainland India. This experience gives him a unique lens through which he analyzes the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities. Academic Foundation He is an alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), where he honed his skills in investigative reporting and ethical journalism. His academic training, combined with his field experience in Central India, allows him to navigate complex socio-economic landscapes with nuance and accuracy. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:JharkhandAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Live BlogKKR vs PBKS Live Score, IPL 2026 Today Match Updates: Will rain play spoilsport in Kolkata1 minute agoAssembly Elections 2026 Live Updates: Modi bats for UCC, ‘One Nation, One Election’ as next agenda; says talks ‘positive’5 minutes agoKarnataka 2nd PUC Results 2026 Live Updates: Results awaited by over 7 lakh students6 minutes agoDhurandhar 2 Worldwide Box Office Collection Day 18 LIVE Updates: Ranveer Singh-starrer crosses Rs 1,000 crore net in India6 minutes agoUAE Iran War News Live Updates: Debris falls in Abu Dhabi’s Musaffah area, injures one9 minutes ago