Gujarat refinery fire: Kin launch protest demanding information on 2 deceased workers

The IOCL said the fire was extinguished early on Tuesday morning. It took about 12 hours and 35 foam fire tenders to douse the flames after blasts in two benzene storage tanks at the refinery, according to sources. While the first blast occurred in tank number 68 around 3.15 pm on Monday, a second explosion was reported at around 8.30 pm in an adjoining tank.

Relatives of Tarapur-based Dhimant Makwana – accompanied by his six-year-old son – sat on a dharna outside Gujarat Refinery, located in Jawahar Nagar on the outskirts of Vadodara city, demanding details of the accident as well as information on where the bodies of the deceased workers were taken. The police, meanwhile, tried to disperse the crowd.

Dhimant’s uncle, who was part of the dharna along with his relatives, said, “No one has come to meet us or give us the news. We received a call around 4 am saying that Dhimant Makwana passed away. We have not even seen his face.”

Koyali resident Shailesh Makwana’s wife Gayatri said, “We have not seen my husband’s face since last night. The police are trying to push us away. We want to know his whereabouts. He had reported to work as usual on Monday. No one from the company has come out to speak to us and the police are threatening us. I have two children. How will I raise them? I will not move from here until the officials give us an explanation.”

In a statement on Tuesday morning, the IOCL said, “We hereby inform that the fire reported yesterday in a benzene storage tank at the Gujarat Refinery was fully extinguished at around 2 am today morning by our firefighting teams and mutual aid partners. Refinery operations are normal, ensuring uninterrupted production. We thank and commend the local authorities and nearby industries for their cooperation and support in entire rescue operations. Meanwhile, we have constituted a high-level committee to thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident. Further updates will be shared as we work towards it.”

When asked about the workers’ deaths, IOCL officials – in a second statement – said that one of them died after “falling unconscious”. The statement said, “During the course of incident rescue operations, we deeply regret to inform that one contract personnel succumbed to injury suffered at the site. One canteen worker in the refinery complex felt unconscious and was admitted in hospital succumbed later. The exact reason for loss of life will be ascertained after due post-mortem. We express our sincere sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The corporation will take measures to support them suitably in these difficult times.”

The IOCL further added, “Rest of the personnel, plant and machinery are safe. The area is being secured for safety. Meanwhile, expert teams are reaching the site for assessment.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Vadodara collector Shah said, “Since IOCL is a Union-government owned company, the inquiry into the disaster will be as per the rules and a committee will be formed by them… I will seek an opinion whether a committee also needs to be constituted at the district level for the same.”

“I have put in a word with the executive director of the IOCL that whatever due compensation is suitable, it should be paid to the kin of the deceased. There was one person, who suffered a head injury but he is said to be stable and undergoing treatment,” the collector added.