New Delhi: Oil India Limited (OIL) has suspended four personnel, including three officers and one employee, following a massive explosion and fire at its Intermediate Tank Farm (ITF) in Tengakhat, Assam’s Dibrugarh district. The action was taken over alleged dereliction of official duties in connection with the incident.
The death toll in the November 6 accident rose to three on Saturday after another injured worker succumbed to his burn injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Guwahati.
The latest victim, Rupam Gohain, a resident of Tengakhat, was initially admitted to Oil India Hospital in Duliajan following the explosion. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was subsequently shifted to Nemcare Hospital in Guwahati for specialised medical care. However, he could not survive despite medical efforts.
Earlier, two people had died following the explosion and fire. One of the victims was engineer Tapas Jyoti Gogoi, who was employed with Spectron Engineering Pvt. Ltd. He succumbed to his burn injuries at a private hospital in Dibrugarh.
Following the tragedy, Oil India Limited announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh each for those injured in the incident.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal visited injured workers undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dibrugarh on Saturday and reviewed their medical condition.
The minister had also spoken with Oil India Limited’s Chairman and Managing Director to assess the situation and stressed the need to provide the best possible medical treatment to all injured personnel.
Sonowal called for a high-level investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion and fire. He also urged the company to ensure appropriate compensation for the victims’ families and take necessary measures without delay.
The suspension of four personnel comes amid growing attention on the circumstances surrounding the deadly accident at the Tengakhat facility.
