The death toll from a fire and explosion at an Oil India facility in Assam has risen to four, after three injured workers died of their injuries, with three more workers receiving medical care. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the injured workers and reviewed their medical care, according to reports on Sunday, 8 November.
The blast struck the Oil India tank farm at Tengakhat, near Dibrugarh, during maintenance work on Friday, 6 November. One worker was killed in the initial fire and explosion, and six workers suffered burn injuries. Three of the injured workers have since died, taking the toll to four, while three remained in treatment, several of them in critical condition.
Four site managers have been suspended and a high-level inquiry and compensation have been announced, according to The Hindu. Oil India has not yet published a detailed account of what caused the explosion. The incident happened during maintenance at the tank farm, and the fire that followed the blast was brought under control by emergency crews. The Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health and Oil India are expected to review workplace safety at the facility, and officials are monitoring updates from the company on the condition of the injured.
A familiar hazard
Tank farm explosions during maintenance are among the most dangerous events in the oil industry, where residual fuel vapours can ignite during hot work. Assam’s oil fields around Dibrugarh are among India’s oldest producing areas, and Oil India operates extensive infrastructure in the region, including the Tengakhat tank farm where Friday’s blast occurred.
The toll progression — one dead on Friday, three by Saturday, four by Monday — reflects the severity of the burns suffered by the injured workers. Hospitals in Dibrugarh were treating the survivors, and the minister’s visit underlined the political attention the accident has drawn in Assam, where the oil industry is a major employer and a source of regional pride.
The company and state authorities have not said whether the facility will remain shut while the investigation proceeds, nor whether any safety notices have been issued to other Oil India sites. Further official updates are expected as the investigation into the cause of the blast gets under way.
Related coverage: Cyclone Murasu Toll Rises to Eight as Losses Hit Rs 1,918 Crore and India-EU Conclude Horizon Europe Association Negotiations
