IOC Inferno
Fire dies down in 6 tanks; toll 10
Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Fire-fighters struggle to douse the flames. — PTI

Jaipur, November 1
The bodies of two more IOC employees were spotted on its depot premises, taking the total number of dead in the tragedy to 10, even as the fire died down in six out of 11 storage tanks of the depot here today.

IGP BL Soni said the bodies were seen near a blazing tank in the wee hours today, adding that it wasn’t possible for anybody to reach there due to intensity of the heat. He said both the bodies seem to have been charred beyond recognition. He said the police has also recovered a large number of official papers and files of the IOC in partially-burnt state from fields of seven nearby villages, adding that they have been handed over to the company officials.

Chief Fire Officer Ishwar Lal Jat said the fuel has burnt itself out in six tanks of the IOC depot and now only black smoke is billowing out of them. However, the raging fire in the remaining five tanks today engulfed the second floor of Genus Overseas Ltd, a nearby industrial unit, at around 7 am. The firemen managed to douse the fire at the unit within a couple of hours. He said it would possibly take another day for the fire to die down in the remaining five tanks, which includes those of petrol and kerosene.

However, the danger of the fire spreading further is not over yet. With five tanks still ablaze the threat of explosions in an underground diesel tank is looming large. According to sources, there is a safety ring above the underground tank, but in case it gives in to the intensity of heat the tank can also catch fire. Though the administration has completed the work of digging fire trench around the IOC depot premises, only the time will tell as to how effective it proves in containing the fire.

In a related development, following a PIL, the Rajasthan High Court has issued notices to the Central and the state governments, asking them as to why the fire could not be doused till now and what efforts are being made to extinguish it.

Meanwhile, a dark cloud of smoke has enveloped the area, making it difficult for the people to breath. Jaipur Collector Kuldeep Ranka said two mobile medical teams have been providing assistance to the people at their doorsteps while the State Pollution Control Board is monitoring the pollution level in the area.