The Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) on Tuesday constituted a “high-level committee” to investigate an explosion and fire that occurred within Gujarat Refinery at Vadodara. Two people have lost their lives and at least one is injured and being treated at a local hospital.
The fire that was reported on November 11 in a Benzene storage tank at the refinery-cum-petrochemical complex on the outskirts of Vadodara was fully extinguished at 2 am on Tuesday.
“We deeply regret to inform that one contract personnel succumbed to injury suffered at the site. Another canteen worker in the refinery complex who fell unconscious was admitted in hospital too succumbed later. Exact reason for loss of life will be ascertained after due postmortem,” the company stated in an official statement here Tuesday morning.
“Meanwhile, we have constituted a high-level committee to thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident,” the statement added. IOCL said that the refinery operations are “normal” with “uninterrupted production”. “Rest of personnel, plant and machinery are safe. The area is being secured for safety<’ the company stated adding that a team of experts are also be sent to the site for assessment.
The fire incident happened at a 1000 kilo litre capacity Benzene Storage Tank at 3:30 pm on November 11.