At least 19 people have been killed and 17 others injured when a boiler at a power plant in central India exploded, local police said Wednesday.

The explosion occurred Tuesday at a facility operated by Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of London-listed Vedanta Resources, in Chhattisgarh state's Sakti district.

"The death toll in the power plant blast has reached 19, whereas 17 are undergoing treatment in various hospitals," district police chief Praful Thakur told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The explosion likely happened after a pipeline burst, spewing "superheated steam" on people who were having their lunch at the time, the Indian Express newspaper said.

Indian-born billionaire Anil Agarwal, chairman of Vedanta Resources, said he was "distressed by the extremely tragic accident".

"A high-level investigation into this incident has been initiated... We will leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of this matter," he said in a statement.

Chhattisgarh state authorities have also launched a probe, with chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai vowing the "strictest possible action" against those found guilty.

Industrial accidents are common in India, often due to poor adherence to safety regulations and weak enforcement.

A fire at a fireworks factory in western India last month killed 17 people.