HPCL refinery accident death toll rises to 6

The death toll in Fridays accident at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)s Visakha refinery has risen to six. Authorities said it was expected the toll would increase further.

On Friday, a major fire broke out after an explosion at a newly constructed cooling tower, while the commissioning process was underway. According to B K Namdeo, director (refinery), HPCL, about 100 workers were present at the cooling tower when the accident occurred. While five of those who died were contract workers, one was a regular employee. We are searching the cooling tower debris for more bodies. Of the 37 injured, three are in a very critical state. They are being shifted to hospitals in Hyderabad and Mumbai, Namdeo said.

The entire cooling tower had collapsed under the impact of the explosion. Currently, the refinery is operating at 60 per cent of its installed capacity, as some units at the facility have been shut after the accident. Bringing the facility to its full capacity level would require seven-10 days, officials said.

On Saturday, Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily visited the site and asked HPCL officials of the cause of the accident. The HPCL management has ordered an inquiry into the accident.

For this, the oil industry safety director had arrived here on Saturday, said Namdeo.