Explosion at Oil India Tank Farm in Assam Kills 3, Four Others in Critical Condition

A fire and explosion at Oil India Limited's Intermediate Tank Farm in Tengakhat, Dibrugarh district, Assam, killed three contract workers and left four others critically injured others on Friday morning (November 6), the company said. The blaze broke out around 9:05 a.m. during maintenance work and has been brought under control.

Blast in the crude storage section

According to Oil India, the explosion occurred in the crude oil storage section while workers were operating a valve during routine maintenance. The blast was followed instantly by a major fire and thick black smoke. The company's own fire service responded immediately and brought the blaze under control.

Three dead, four critically injured — all contract workers

The deceased has been identified as Raju Dutta, a contract worker. Six others sustained burn injuries; five were taken to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh and one to Oil India's own hospital. Five of the injured have been named as Tapas Gogoi, 40, Shailen Gogoi, 45, Kumud Gogoi, 38, Golap Dutta, 58, and Indra Gogoi, 40.

All seven were employees of Mumbai-based Spectron Engineers Pvt Ltd, a contractor engaged by Oil India for maintenance at the facility. One worker was initially reported missing, said to have been thrown some distance by the force of the blast; he was later confirmed to be Dutta.

Cause under investigation

The exact cause of the explosion has not been established. Oil India said it has launched a high-level investigation. The contractor's area manager told ANI the work under way was routine maintenance of machinery serviced monthly or quarterly.

The Tengakhat Intermediate Tank Farm is a key crude collection and storage facility for Oil India in Assam. The company said it would share further details as the investigation progresses.

November 7 update: death toll rises to three; company suspends four officials

The death toll rose to three on November 7. The first victim, Raju Dutta, died on the day of the explosion; engineer Tapas Jyoti Gogoi, who had burns over about 70 percent of his body, died at about 3 a.m. on November 7 at a private hospital in Dibrugarh; Rupam Gogoi died at about 11 a.m. the same day at a hospital in Guwahati. Four other injured workers remain in critical condition. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the injured in Dibrugarh on November 7, urging Oil India to provide the best possible treatment, compensate the victims' families and order a high-level inquiry into the cause. Oil India has suspended four officials, including three senior officials, and pledged 1 million rupees (10 lakh) to each bereaved family and 500,000 rupees (5 lakh) to each injured worker. The exact cause of the explosion has not been established.