(T.E.T)
“Haldia Refinery is undertaking shutdown and maintenance of various major units. In the MSQ unit, during shutdown related works, at around 2.50 PM, today an incident occurred. The primary cause seems to be a flash fire leading to burn injuries to 44 persons and 3 persons have unfortunately succumbed to their injuries. The fire has been immediately extinguished and the situation is under control,” the company statement said.
The fire tenders were rushed to the spot immediately while the company authority began rescue work, company sources said. However, three workers succumbed to their injuries.
However, unofficial sources said that more than 47 workers have been injured in the incident. They injured were initially rushed to IOC’s hospital.
“Three persons have died in the accident and altogether 47 people have been injured in the accident. Seven are being treated in Haldia while 40 others have been shifted to Kolkata. Superintendent of Police, District Magistrate and other senior administrative officials have rushed to the spot. It is an unfortunate incident,” Haldia Industrial region’s Trinamool Observer Sanjay Banerjee informed.
Chairman in-Council of Haldia Municipal Corporation, Azgar Ali, said, “The incident is very unfortunate. So many people have been injured grievously. Such big accident has never happened in the past in IOC’s refinery. Inquiry should be undertaken to see if there was any negligence. More safety measures should have maintained.”
Most of the injured workers were contractual workers in the Haldia refinery. Most of the workers were from other states while some are from Bengal.
Haldia Refinery is one of the two refineries of Indian Oil Group Companies producing Lube Oil Base Stocks (LOBS). It is fourth in the chain of ten operating Refineries of Indian Oil.
