At least 14 workers were killed and 20 injured after a boiler exploded at a power plant owned by Vedanta, one of India’s largest mining and energy conglomerates, in Chhattisgarh.

The blast at the 1,200MW coal-fired Singhitarai power plant occurred at around 2.30pm local time on Tuesday when a tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to a turbine ruptured.

Four workers died at the scene and nine succumbed to their injuries later. Six of the 20 injured remain in critical condition and some are expected to be airlifted to the state capital Raipur for advanced care. Vedanta put the number of fatalities at 10, lower than the official count.

One worker told local media that the blast felt "like a missile had landed”.

The affected workers were employed by NTPC GE Power Services, a subcontractor responsible for operating and maintaining the boiler unit, Vedanta said, adding that it had launched its own inquiry alongside the official investigation.

The company said its immediate priority was providing assistance to the victims and their families.

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, announced a compensation of Rs 200,000 (£1,800) for the families of each of the dead and Rs 50,000 (£450) for each of the injured.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced Rs 500,000 (£4,500) each in compensation for the families of the dead and ordered a high-level inquiry.

The power plant, originally built in 2009, was acquired by Vedanta in 2022. One of the plant’s units was commissioned last year while the other was reportedly still under construction.

The explosion is one of the worst industrial accidents in Chhattisgarh in recent years. The central state, a mining and heavy industry hub, has reported 296 worker deaths in industrial mishaps across the past three years.