Vadodara: A fire broke out in the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) oil refinery plant at Koyali near Vadodara late this afternoon after a blast. Fire control efforts were continuing even after midnight. One person, namely Dhimant Makwana, has died in this incident. He was a resident of Tarapur. His death is registered as an accidental death.

The smoke from this fire was visible kilometers away. Fire foam tenders and fighters were called from nearby towns and cities. The tank that first caught fire contained flammable benzene. The fire broke out in the first tank and later spread to the second tank, which also contained benzene. Efforts were ongoing to douse the fire, which may continue until the entire stock of benzene in the tanks is depleted.

Nearby areas were alerted by police and administration. There are 268 tanks on the IOCL campus, of which 8 contain benzene. Two of them caught fire. Officials from the police and fire department reached the plant. Local legislator Dharmendrasinh Vaghela also arrived at the IOCL campus. More details on the cause of the fire and the fire-control operation are awaited. DeshGujarat

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