The fire broke out following a huge blast in the oxygen house of the Steel Melting Shop (SMS) II wing of the public sector undertaking in the coastal city also called Vizag, about 600 km from here.

The toll could go up as several injured are said to be battling for life at the Seven Hills Hospital. There was chaos at the hospital as the medical staff found it difficult to attend to several badly injured workers. The bodies were shifted to the steel plant general hospital.