Eight oil tankers catch fire in Siliguri, blaze spreads to nearby slum

Eight tankers in the vicinity of the Indian Oil Corporation terminal here were charred in a fire on Saturday night, triggering panic. There were no casualties or injuries.

The leaping flames, that were first noticed at 8 p.m., were doused after a two-hour fight, police and IOC sources said.

The fire broke out in the parking lot for the tankers close to the New Jalpaiguri railway station, and spread fast engulfing one tanker after another,

In all eight tankers - some carrying combustible fuels like kerosene, diesel and petrol - caught fire, as senior police and fire brigade officials rushed to the spot.

The fire even spread to a nearby slum, from where the dwellers rushed out.

There was tension, as people feared the consequences of the possibility of the terminal catching fire.

However, IOC personnel sprayed foam and brought the situation under control.

Five fire engines were rushed to the area to control the blaze.

Police and IOC officials were ascertaining the cause of the incident, amid suspicion that the tankers could have caught fire while miscreants were pilfering oil.

--IANS

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