IOC depot fire toll mounts to 11; fire in 8 tanks dies out

Jaipur, Nov 1 : Death toll in Thursday's fire in Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) depot at Sitapura has mounted to 11 with one more person succumbing to burns tonight even as the flames billowing out of eight of the 11 oil tanks in the depot since the day of the devastating fire have died out.

The flames from the remaining three tanks were still raging high and might take some more time to die out, Jaipur District Collector Kuldeep Ranka said.

IOC General Manager (Sales and Operation) Gautam Bose said 11 overhead-floating-storage tanks with around 63,200 Kilolitre of petro fuel, petrol-diesel and kerosene, had been destroyed in the fire.

Meanwhile, two charred bodies were recovered and brought to the SMS Hospital for autopsy today, while one injured, who was referred to the hospital with over 90 per cent burns, succumbed at the hospital, Collector Mr Ranka said. With this, the toll in the fire had gone up to 11, the Collector said.

An inquiry committee headed by former IOC Chairman Mahesh B Lal to probe into the incident has already been set up. Mr Lal is scheduled to arrive here tomorrow.

--UNI

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