Show-cause notice slapped on IOC

The Department of Industrial Safety and Health, which is investigating the explosion in the cracking unit of IOC's Koyli refinery, has issued a show-cause notice to the 'competent official' responsible for testing equipment at the refinery.

The department will submit its report to the Vadodara district collector soon. The department has also confirmed that the air bubble formed in the cracking unit led to the explosion.

Sources in the department said that the investigators opine that the blast was the result of negligence. The department has issued a show cause notice to an engineer, 'competent person' responsible for testing the equipment before starting operations.

"Technically, before starting the operations, to remove presence of air, steam is released before entering crude oil. The IOC was probably in hurry to start the operations and did not take proper care before entering crude oil. The high temperature over 400 degree I required to crank the crude in various forms which ignited the blast," said M M Shah, joint director, DISH, Vadodara. "It's a clear case of negligence while maintenance," added Shah.

Shah has already recorded statements of two workers working in the cracking unit, one each of Indian Oil and contractor.

The department officials will also record statements of two more contract workers before filing a final report.