At least three labourers were killed and as many injured when a coal heap caved in at Dhamra Port Company Ltd (DPCL) premises leading to arson and violence at Dhamra in Bhadrak district today, officials said.
The incident took place this afternoon when the labourers were engaged in covering the heap of coal at the port's coal stockyard during rains.
The high quality coking coal has been imported from Australia and the labourers were covering the heap as there was no shade over it.
"So far three bodies have been recovered and three others rescued in critical condition," a DPCL official said.
The critically injured workers were taken to the district headquarters hospital at Bhardak.
As the news spread, hundreds of people including some labourers went on rampage ransacking the office, torched the main gate and even heckled CEO Subrat Tripathy.
Bhadrak District Collector GR Das said, "We have information regarding some workers being trapped in the coal heap. We will inquire how the labourers were engaged in work on Independence Day."
Senior police officials have gone to Dhamra.
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