Eight workers have died and 39 injured in the blast which occurred on Friday evening in the HPCL Visakha refinery. Seventeen of the critically wounded workers are being shifted to Mumbai for treatment, according to Veerappa Moily, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas.

He told reporters here on Saturday evening after visiting the blast site that Rs 1 crore compensation would be paid to the family of the HPCL employee who died in the accident, and the contract workers and their families would get Rs 20 lakh.

He said a high-level inquiry would be conducted under the leadership of HPCL official Datta.

. Two of the units in the refinery have been shut down and the others are running at reduced capacity, according to officials. Officials of the public sector faced the wrath of relatives of employees on Saturday, as they failed to provide information even 24 hours after the cooling tower blast in the refinery. Confusion reigned, as officials were found in a hopeless situation with the irate relatives heckling and booing Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Panabaka Lakshmi, when she arrived at Waltair Park to address a press conference after her visit to the hospitals.

Telugu Desam Party President N. Chandrababu Naidu visited the hospitals.

Panabaka Lakshmi said a high-level investigation would be ordered into the accident. She said all assistance would be provided to the workers and families and steps would be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

Telugu Desam Party leader N. Chandra Babu Naidu said the HPCL officials appeared to have failed in taking the requisite steps after the disaster and even after 24 hours after the accident they were unable to provide specific information. He demanded ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the dead workers and suitable compensation to the rest.

>sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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