Raipur, April 16 -- The death toll in the blast at a Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has risen to 20, with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, police said on Wednesday. The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burns. Sakti Superintendent of Police Prafull Thakur said a total of 36 workers were affected in the incident. "The toll has now risen to 20, while 16 injured workers are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur and Raigarh," he said. Officials said four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident. Seven more workers later died in hospitals. Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno said the deceased have been identified and their families are being contacted, he said, adding that arrangements are being made to send the bodies to their native villages after post-mortem, along with immediate financial assistance. The district administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, which will be headed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Dabhra. The officer has been directed to submit a report within 30 days. The deceased include five workers each from Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, three from Jharkhand, and two each from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. CM Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs.5 lakh for the kin of each deceased and Rs.50,000 for the injured. Vedanta Power separately announced Rs.35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker along with employment support. The company also promised Rs.15 lakh to each injured worker, ensure continuation of salary during recovery, a statement said. "A thorough investigation has been initiated in coordination with our partner and relevant authorities," the statement added. The coal-based thermal power project was originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd....