DIBRUGARH, Nov 8: Oil India Limited (OIL) suspended four personnel in charge of its intermediate tank farm in Tengakhat after the death toll in a fire at the facility rose to four on Sunday, officials said.
Mechanical helper Sailen Gogoi, who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here, died on Sunday. One worker died on the day of the incident on November 6, while two others died the following day.
Three other injured workers remained in critical condition. All the victims were employees of Mumbai-based Spectron Engineering Private Limited, which had been engaged by OIL.
The fire broke out after an explosion during maintenance work at the intermediate tank farm on Friday. The facility temporarily stores petroleum products in tanks before they are sent for further processing or transportation.
OIL instituted a high-level inquiry into the incident. The four suspended personnel included three officers and will remain under suspension until the investigation is over, an official said.
The PSU announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased worker and Rs 5 lakh to each injured person. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were monitoring the situation, OIL said.
