Rourkela: More than 24 hours have passed but the fate of the three workers feared trapped under heaps of coal following the collapse of a coal bunker inside Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited’s Rajgangpur plant remains uncertain.
Even as rescue operation continued, angry locals and family members of those suspected to be missing tried to storm the plant on Friday morning in a bid to gather information about the trio, resulting in a tense stand-off with the police.

Four platoons of police have since been deployed near the cement factory to avoid any untoward incident.
The three said to be missing are boiler operator Susanta Rout (58) and mechanical fitters Ranjit Bhol (24) and Dashrath Patra (42). They had been employed by a contractor.
Sources said tons of coal was stored in the bunker. Coal from the bunker goes to the boiler in the power plant inside the cement factory. Around 5.30 pm on Thursday, the coal bunker collapsed and the workers got trapped under it. An operator room, which was under the bunker, also got completely damaged.
When some of the workers did not return home after duty hours, worried family members dialled their numbers but could not reach them. They suspected something was wrong and reached the cement factory gate to enquire about their family members. It was then that they got to know about the incident.
Rescue operation continued throughout Thursday night with heaps of coal and mangled structure being cleared to reach out to those feared trapped. Around 100 members of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire brigade are engaged in the rescue operation.
Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited issued a press statement in which it stated, “We are saddened to report an accident due to the collapse of a coal hopper in the boiler area of the captive power plant at the company’s cement plant located at Rajgangpur, Odisha. The accident occurred at around 6 pm on 16.01.2025 wherein the whereabouts of three persons are yet to be ascertained. Post the incident, all the emergency protocols have been activated and the area has been cordoned off. The plant operations team with the help of district administration and the state government is working on the rescue.”
On Friday morning, a large number of locals including family members of the three missing workers, gathered in front of the factory’s gate and tried to forcibly enter the plant. But they were driven away by the police.
Brijesh Kumar Rai, DIG (western range), said given the tense situation, four platoons of police have been deployed in the area. “Rescue operation is still continuing, The three missing workers have not yet been traced,” said Rai.
Bibhu Prasad, deputy director (factory & boiler), Rourkela, said rescue operation is still on. “The rescue operation is still continuing but the three missing men have not yet been traced,” said Prasad. Asked about possible lapses in the plant, he said necessary action will be taken after the rescue operation is over.
Rajgangpur MLA C S Raazen Ekka demanded inspection of all structures inside the plant by a competent authority and that the factory should remain closed till it is done.