The Hindu : Digboi fire under control

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 10, 2003

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Digboi fire under control

GUWAHATI MARCH 9. The fire caused by explosions triggered by the ULFA, in one of the petrol storage tanks of IOC's Assam Oil Division at Digboi in Tinsukia district yesterday, was brought under control this evening. The Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner, B.N. Das, told PTI that the fire in the 5250 KL tank was almost doused.Only 10 to 15 per cent of the tank was still smouldering, he said. The flames were concentrated at the lower part of the tank and the petrol was expected to burn out by midnight.

The loss caused by the fire was estimated to be around Rs. 13.5 crores, IOC sources said.

A red alert has been sounded and a massive combing operation launched in the area to nab the culprits but no arrests have been made so far. Senior police officials, including the Inspector-General (Operations), are camping in the area and a high-level meeting of civil, police, Army, paramilitary forces and refinery officials was held today to review the situation and to step up security and vigilance in the two adjoining districts of Tinsukia and Dibrugarh. An internal inquiry into the fire has been ordered and the report was to be submitted by March 10.

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