HPCL refinery fire: toll rises to 8

The death toll in Fridays fire at state-run refinery-cum-petrochemical complex of Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) here mounted to eight

The death toll in Fridays fire at state-run refinery-cum-petrochemical complex of Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) here mounted to eight,including an employee of the PSU,Union Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Saturday.

Out of the 39 contract workers injured in the mishap,seven have received burns above 70 per cent and 17 others burns above 40 per cent.

In all,eight persons,including seven workers of a private company and an HPCL employee,were killed in the mishap and 39 received burn injuries, Moily said after visiting the site to assess the situation.

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A massive blaze had broken out Friday evening when workers hired by private companies were at work. While two workers died Friday,as many succumbed to burn injures at a corporate hospital in the port city Saturday morning. A thick layer of smoke engulfed the area causing panic among residents.

The deceased HPCL employee has been identified as Ch Murali,in-charge of the cooling tower. Moily said HPCL would provide a compensation of Rs 1 crore to Muralis family,besides free medical care for them and free education for his children.

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