A person was killed in an explosion in the Kulada opencast mine of the Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) in the district on Friday.
The deceased was identified as Israil Ansari, a resident of Ranchi, Jharkhand. He was working as a tipper truck driver at the mining site.
Sources said the explosion took place when the mines were being blasted to extract coal. The intensity of the blast was so powerful that it blew up a tipper along with its driver. The driver died on the spot. The blast also severely damaged two other vehicles.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed at the site in the after the blast as workers staged a protest demanding compensation for the family of the deceased.
The agitators staged road blockade by placing the body of the deceased driver on the road. Being informed, police and Fire Services personnel reached the spot and launched rescue operations.