RAMGARH: Three engineers were burnt alive and another suffered injuries after a turbine blast triggered a major fire at the captive power plant of a private sponge iron factory in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district in the early hours of Saturday.According to police and factory officials, the explosion occurred around 4am inside the power generation unit while engineers, technical staff and other workers were on night duty.The blast reportedly took place in the turbine section, leading to a fire that rapidly spread through the control room area.Chief factory inspector Manish Sinha said the deceased were identified as Sanjiv Kumar Keshari (50) of Ranchi, Vineet Mahto (25) of Jaridih in Bokaro district and Abhishek Pandey (24) of Garhwa.Another employee, Tarun Rawani, sustained injuries and was admitted to a hospital in Ramgarh for treatment.Emergency response teams and factory personnel rushed to the site and brought the blaze under control. The bodies of the three engineers were later recovered from the affected section of the plant.A team of factory inspectors from the labour department's zonal office in Hazaribag reached the spot and launched a preliminary investigation into the incident.

Officials said the exact cause of the blast would be established after a detailed technical assessment.The incident sparked panic among residents of nearby Hesla village, with locals staging a protest outside the factory premises on Saturday and alleging serious safety lapses on the part of the management. Protesters demanded a thorough inquiry and accountability for the deaths.The district administration has ordered an investigation into the mishap, while labour and factory safety officials are examining whether mandated safety protocols were being followed at the plant. Police said further action would be taken based on the findings of the inquiry.