3 dead, at least 40 injured in fire at IOC refinery in West Bengal’s Haldia

(PLAYBACK) HT Correspondent Kolkata Three Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) employees were killed and at least 40 were injured on Tuesday afternoon when a pipeline inside the company’s refinery at Haldia in Bengal’s East Midnapore district caught fire

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HT Correspondent

Kolkata

Three Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) employees were killed and at least 40 were injured on Tuesday afternoon when a pipeline inside the company’s refinery at Haldia in Bengal’s East Midnapore district caught fire.

The incident happened after the successful completion of a drill, an IOC official said on condition of anonymity.

“An official inquiry will be conducted to ascertain the cause of the fire,” he added.

The injured employees were admitted to local hospitals from where 16 men were rushed to a hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday evening.

The state police set up a green corridor so that the ambulances could reach Kolkata without having to stop at traffic signals along the 118-kilometre route.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed anguish over the incident.

“Deeply anguished by the fire in IOC, Haldia. Three precious lives were lost and my thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. Those injured are being brought to Kolkata through a green corridor. GoWB will extend all assistance to ensure their speedy recovery,” Banerjee tweeted.