One dead, one injured in RIL Jamnagar fire

Jamnagar, Oct 26 (UNI) One person died and one was injured in the fire which broke out at the hydro-treatment plant at the Reliance Petroleum refinery here yesterday.

The dead has been identified as plant operator R Rajesh Kana,33. When the headcount was carried out at the refinery yesterday, Kana was reported missing and it was assumed that he had escaped the raging fire. However, his charred body was recovered late last evening. A mechanical engineer, Kana hailed from Tamil Nadu.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Parimal Nathwani, a top Reliance official, said an operator was also seriously injured in the fire but is now reportedly stable at the Harkishandas Hospital in Mumbai. Tiruvalli, who suffered 60 per cent burn injuries, was rushed to the Jamnagar civil hospital yesterday and later flown to Mumbai for further treatment. He is now admitted in the burns ward of the ICU.

Presently only one unit has been shut down out of the 40 units, Mr Nathwani said. Till last evening, 6,229 tonnes of gas was supplied through the Gail's pipeline. Supply is continuing by road and there is no production loss, he added.

The fire had broken out at around 1030 hrs yesterday and was brought under control within two hours. The hydro-treatment plant was completely doused with water and except this plant, all the other plants were functioning normally, he said.

A high-powered enquiry team too has been set up to ascertain the cause of the fire and the assess the damages.

The affected plant, according to preliminary reports, will take at least two weeks to resume operations.

UNI XR/VNB PM RR HT1912