Chennai: Tragedy struck at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) refinery in RK Nagar on Wednesday when a 48-year-old welder lost his life in an explosion involving an ethanol storage tank, reported The Times of India.
The victim, identified as G Perumal of Parameshwarar Nagar in Tondiarpet, was engaged in welding work on a 50,000-litre capacity ethanol tank. Two co-workers sustained injuries and were promptly admitted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.
The incident occurred during the repair work on one of the two ethanol tanks in the refinery. Perumal, with two decades of welding experience, was joined by Saravanan and Dilli Babu in assisting him. Tragically, the tank exploded during the ongoing repair, resulting in Perumal’s immediate demise. Saravanan suffered severe burns, accounting for 40% of his body, while Dilli, an electrician, sustained injuries to his face and eyes.
Perumal is survived by his wife Sasi, son Prakash (22), and daughter Logeshwari (20). In response to the explosion, five fire tenders from nearby stations were swiftly deployed. The internal firefighting unit within IOC employed chemical sprays to extinguish the flames.
A Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services officer commented, “We dispatched vehicles promptly and successfully contained the fire within half an hour.” Approximately 60 TNFRS personnel, in addition to IOC firefighters, actively participated in the firefighting operation.
Tondiarpet police have registered a case in connection with the incident. Concurrently, IOC officials have initiated an internal inquiry to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the tragic accident.
