India Oil Blaze Rages On, 10 Dead: official

India Oil Blaze Rages On, 10 Dead: official: JAIPUR: A massive fire at an oil depot in western India had left ten people dead, an official said Sunday, as the blaze raged on after more than 48 hours. The fire, caused by a suspected oil pipeline leak, broke out Thursday night at the Indian Oil Corp (IOC) compound on the outskirts of Jaipur in the desert state of Rajasthan. B.L.

India Oil Blaze Rages On, 10 Dead: official:JAIPUR: A massive fire at an oil depot in western India had left ten people dead, an official said Sunday, as the blaze raged on after more than 48 hours.

The fire, caused by a suspected oil pipeline leak, broke out Thursday night at the Indian Oil Corp (IOC) compound on the outskirts of Jaipur in the desert state of Rajasthan.

B.L. Soni, a senior Jaipur police official, told AFP two bodies had been spotted near the facility but that rescuers could not retrieve them because the temperature from the fire was too high.

He said authorities believe the bodies belong to two IOC employees who have been missing since the inferno began.

Eight other people died in the blaze, including three more employees, and their bodies had been recovered from the scene, officials said.

The number of injured stood at 135.

‘We don’t expect any more bodies to be recovered,’ said Soni.

Firefighters abandoned earlier attempts to extinguish the blaze and expect the flames to die out in the coming days.

Local residents reported hearing a large explosion when the blaze began, engulfing about 50,000 kilolitres of fuel stored in tanks and pouring thick black plumes of smoke into the sky.

IOC officials estimated the cost of the fire at up to 1.5 billion rupees (30 million dollars).

It caused damage to at least 200 small and large industries nearby, the Press Trust of India reported.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 people remain evacuated from the area, but other residents living close by have started to return home, said Soni.— AFP

Five Militants Perish In SWA: ISPR

WANA: At least five militants were killed during military offensive against Taliban militants in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) on Sunday morning, ISPR sources said.

WANA: At least five militants were killed during military offensive against Taliban militants in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) on Sunday morning, ISPR sources said.

According to sources, security forces pounded several militants’ hideouts in Kani Karam, Toda Cheena and Sararogha areas of SWA during ongoing army operation.

Forces have also cleared many strongholds of Taliban and have taken control many others, sources said.

It may be mentioned here that as many as 260 suspected Taliban have been killed amid operation Rah-e-Nijaat, meanwhile, security forces have captured many key strongholds of Taliban in the agency.