Committee begins probe into IOC fire

A committee set by the Petroleum Ministry to probe into the causes of the devastating fire at the IOC depot near here began its inquiry today by visiting the site.

The seven-member committee headed by former Chairman and Managing Director of HPCL M B Lal will go into the causes behind the fire that has claimed 12 lives and suggest holistic safety measures to the ministry, official sources said here.

The committee members, accompanied by civil and police authorities, visited the site and surrounding fire affected areas, and talked to people to collect first hand information about the blaze that has been raging for five days now.

The committee members include Executive Director of Oil Industry Safety Director (OISD) J P Verma and Rajasthan Petroleum Secretary Govind Sharma.

The team has to submit the report within six weeks.

Twelve people have been killed in the inferno which started when petrol was being transferred from the depot to a pipeline at the IOC depot in Sitapura industrial area.