Worker dies in an explosion at Indian Oil's Chennai plant

One worker died, and another was injured in a fire at an Indian Oil Corp (IOC) plant in Chennai, according to a statement by the state-run refiner. The unfortunate incident took place during a planned maintenance activity involving an ethanol storage tank managed by a contractor at the company's Tondiarpet terminal.

Indian Oil did not provide specific details regarding the cause of the fire or the expected duration of the terminal closure. However, the company stated that safety measures would be implemented before resuming operations at the affected site.

Notably, the Tondiarpet terminal plays a significant role in supplying petroleum, oil, and lubricants in Chennai. In response to the incident, IOC assured that alternative locations would be utilised to ensure the continued supply of these products to the city.

This unfortunate event follows a recent oil spill on the Tamil Nadu coast, originating from a refinery owned by Indian Oil's subsidiary, Chennai Petroleum Corp, during Cyclone Michaung.

Separately, on the same day in Chennai, another incident occurred where approximately 60 people were hospitalised due to an ammonia leak from a pipeline owned by Coromandel International near its Ennore plant in the city.

These incidents underscore the importance of prioritising safety measures in industrial facilities to prevent accidents and protect workers and the surrounding community. Authorities and companies involved are likely to conduct thorough investigations to determine the causes of these incidents and take appropriate measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

(With Reuters inputs.)