Death toll in fire at HPCL Vizag's refinery rises to four

The death toll in last evening's massive fire at HPCL refinery-cum-petrochemical complex here rose to four with two workers succumbing to burn injuries early today, sources in the PSU said.
The two succumbed while undergoing treatment at Seven Hills Hospital. Thirty-six injured workers were being treated in various corporate hospitals in the city, they said.
Around half a dozen of them have received more than 70 per cent burns and are said to be in critical condition.
The blaze started in the sprawling complex at around 4 pm, killing two workers. As per preliminary reports, the fire broke out due to blasting of cooling tower due to a short-circuit, the sources said.

The deceased were identified as Murali, A Apparao, A Srinivasa Rao and Manojeet Pradhan. A majority of the workers operating at the cooling tower belonged a private firm.
Union Minister of State for Petroleum Panabaka Lakshmi today visited the fire-hit refinery. She also went to the hospitals where the injured were undergoing treatment, and enquired about their condition.
The extent of damage to the refinery-cum-petrochemical complex was being ascertained.