Assam: OIL suspends four after Tengakhat tank farm explosion death toll rises to four

The death toll in the explosion and fire at Oil India Limited’s (OIL) Intermediate Tank Farm (ITF) in Tengakhat, Dibrugarh district, has risen to four after another injured worker, Sailen Gogoi, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Dibrugarh.

The incident occurred on November 6, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries. Three other persons had died earlier, including Rupam Gohain, a Tengakhat resident, who succumbed to his injuries at Nemcare Hospital in Guwahati on Saturday.

Gohain was initially admitted to Oil India Hospital in Duliajan before being shifted to Guwahati for advanced treatment due to the severity of his injuries. Another victim, engineer Tapas Jyoti Gogoi, employed by Spectron Engineering Pvt Ltd, died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dibrugarh.

Meanwhile, OIL has suspended four personnel at the facility, including three officers and one employee, for alleged “dereliction in discharging official duties”, company spokesperson Prankush Malla Buzarbaruah said.

The company has announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those killed and Rs 5 lakh each for the injured.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal visited injured workers admitted to Ashtha Hospital in Dibrugarh on Saturday. He also spoke to OIL Chairman and Managing Director at the company's headquarters in Duliajan to review the situation.

During the conversation, Sonowal urged the company to ensure proper medical care for all the injured and take necessary measures. He also called for compensation for the bereaved families and a high-level inquiry to establish the cause of the explosion and fire.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal are monitoring the developments.

Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances that led to the explosion and subsequent fire.