IOC depot fire toll mounts to 10

Jaipur, Nov 1 : With recovery of two more bodies from the fire-ravaged IOC depot in the Sitapura area near here overnight, the death toll in Thursday's petro-fire has mounted to 10.

A Police spokesman said here today that two charred bodies were recovered and sent to the SMS Hospital for autopsy.

Though the blazes have been subsiding steadily, it would take some more time to control them.

Flames in more than six oil cointainers had almost diminished but flames in the remaining tankers were still raging high with clouds of black smoke billowing from it, the spokesman added.

Balls of fire from burning oil containers in the depot area spread in an adjoining meter manufacturing unit this morning but were soon controlled by fire tenders.

To avert spread of fire in the neighbouring areas through the oil soaked soil, the authorities have taken precautionary measures and dug trenches, fire lanes with the help of the Army personnel, around the IOC burning zone.

The devastating fire broke out around 1930 hrs on Thursday evening with a loud explosion due to leakage in the petrol pipeline.

The fire gutted a dozen containers of petroleum products.

Several buildings, including IOC depot headquarters, a vehicle showroom, some factories, shops and houses in the neighbourhood were damaged badly.

Nearby villages, colonies, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College Hospital and hostels in nearby institutional area were evacuated.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is monitoring the situation from the beginning and reviewing it periodically with his officials.

He has visited the spot and hospitals twice or thrice to have a first hand account of the situation and conditions of the injured.

--UNI

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