VADODARA: The death toll in a fire at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) refinery in the Koyali area of Gujarat's Vadodara city has risen to two, with another individual injured and currently undergoing treatment, police said on Tuesday.
The deceased persons were identified as Dhimant Makwana and Shailesh Makwana.
According to Jawahar Nagar police station inspector A B Mori, the fire that began on Monday afternoon with a blast in a benzene storage tank of the refinery later spread to two other adjoining tanks.
The blaze was brought under control after extensive efforts involving several fire tenders brought in from nearby cities and towns. An IOCL official received injuries and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The condition of the injured person was stable, he added.
The IOCL in a statement on Monday evening said the "fire was reported at around 3.30 pm in a benzene storage tank (1000 KL capacity) at Gujarat Refinery. The adjacent water sprinkler system was activated to contain the fire, it said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained," it added.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) D J Chavda told reporters on Monday night that the fire had spread to the adjoining storage tanks.
"Following the fire, fluid circulation in the IOCL complex was stopped as per the standard operating procedure. Other storage tanks were being cooled to ensure the blaze didn't spread," Vadodara Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar said.
All the employees who were working in the shift were moved out of the refinery and the people reaching the refinery for subsequent shifts were turned back for safety reasons, he added.