NEW DELHI - At least five foreign nationals, including three Chinese citizens, are missing after Wednesday's furnace explosion at Bhushan steel plant in Dhenkanal district of the east Indian state of Odisha, said an official Saturday.

The two others are from Thailand, and all five of them were inside the plant at the time of the blast, the state's Labor and Employees' Insurance Department Minister Bijayshree Routray said.

This news is yet to be verified with Chinese embassy or consulate officials yet.

At least one person died and more than 15 others were critically injured in the furnace explosion in Odisha, also known as Orissa, said an official on Wednesday.

All the victims were said to be contract laborers, deputy director of factories and boilers H.C. Sahu said.