The death toll in the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) refinery fire near Vadodara rose to two after a canteen worker, who had fallen unconscious during the incident, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. The fire erupted on Monday afternoon and took nearly 12 hours to be completely extinguished. Efforts to douse the blaze involved extensive firefighting operations led by IOCL’s teams as well as mutual aid partners, officials said. The situation is now under control, and refinery operations have resumed normalcy.
The incident occurred around 3:30 pm on Monday when a blast was reported in a benzene storage tank at the refinery, located in the Koyali area on the outskirts of Vadodara city. The fire quickly spread to two adjoining tanks, causing panic among workers. According to Inspector A.B. Mori of the Jawahar Nagar police station, two people have lost their lives so far. One of them, Dhimant Makwana, a contractual worker, died on Monday, while the other victim, Shailesh Makwana, a canteen worker, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. Additionally, an IOCL official sustained injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
The massive fire was brought under control after prolonged efforts involving multiple fire tenders from nearby cities and towns. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) D.J. Chavda said the blaze had spread to adjacent storage tanks, requiring coordinated action from several firefighting units. Thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the refinery, visible from several kilometres away, sparking concern among local residents. The fire forced the evacuation of several workers from the refinery, with fluid circulation in the IOCL complex being halted as per standard safety protocols.
Vadodara Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar confirmed that employees present at the time of the fire were promptly evacuated, while those arriving for subsequent shifts were asked to return home to ensure their safety. Other storage tanks in the vicinity of the fire were also being cooled to prevent further spread, he added.
Dharmendrasinh Vaghela, the BJP MLA of Waghodia, the constituency where the refinery is located, announced that the IOCL management has agreed to pay compensation to the families of the deceased. According to Vaghela, the company will provide Rs 25 lakh to the next of kin of each of the victims. In addition, IOCL has committed to offering jobs to the wives of the deceased as per their educational qualifications and will bear the cost of their children’s education.
“I held discussions with IOCL officials, and the refinery management has agreed to extend a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased. They will also take responsibility for the education of the children and provide jobs to the respective wives of the victims,” said Vaghela. However, an official statement from IOCL regarding the compensation is yet to be issued.
The central PSU, in a statement released after the incident, confirmed that the fire had been completely extinguished by around 2 am on Tuesday. The statement also mentioned that refinery operations have resumed to ensure uninterrupted production. “A high-level committee has been constituted to investigate the cause of the incident thoroughly. Further updates will be shared as we work towards uncovering the exact cause,” the statement read.
IOCL officials said that while the exact reasons for the deaths will be determined following post-mortem examinations, the rest of the personnel, as well as plant and machinery, are safe. “The area is currently being secured to ensure safety for all employees,” the statement added.
The fire at the refinery has raised questions about safety measures and protocols in place at such large industrial units. Visuals of the blaze showed massive columns of thick black smoke rising from the complex, raising concerns about the potential environmental impact. The incident underscores the critical need for stringent safety regulations and swift emergency response mechanisms to safeguard lives in industrial zones.
This tragic event has cast a shadow over the region, prompting calls for improved industrial safety standards and thorough investigations to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. With the immediate crisis now under control, the focus shifts to understanding the root cause of the incident and ensuring accountability for the lives lost in this tragic accident.