A massive fire broke out at the high-security Guwahati Refinery in Noonmati of Assam on Tuesday evening, raising fears of a militant-attack in one of the most visible infrastructure landmark in Assam.
There was also a massive explosion but it was unclear whether the blast caused the fire or it came afterwards. Such was the intensity of the explosion that houses in a radius of 500 metres rattled and windowpanes shook.
The fire was first noticed at around 6.55 pm at the Tank No. 6, close to a pipe called the K-line through which waste products are transferred to the waste disposal unit. An official of the refinery said that the fire may have triggered the explosion inside the chamber.
Though there was no immediate confirmation, sources said that there could have been casualities as several workers were engaged closeby in building a new coke unit. Immediately after the fire started, militant outfit United Liberation Front of Assam’s anti talk faction’s spokesperson Arunudoi Dohotiya dashed off an e-mail to local media houses claiming responsibility for the explosion.
However, Guwahati Senior Superintendent of Police Apurba Jiban Barua debunked the ULFA claims saying that the refinery is too well protected for militants to enter. But a leader of the refinery employees’ union did say that they were not too happy with the security arrangements despite the visible manpower.
The fire was brought under control but not before several fire tenders fought for more than a couple of hours to douse the inferno. The first public sector refinery in the country run by the IOC, the vital installation is guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force.
Out of the around 450 CISF personnel engaged at the refinery, 150 are on duty at any given point of time, police said. Police also pointed out that a 12-feet high wall runs along the perimeter of the refinery besides CCTV cameras at all vital spots.
http://www.ndnewsexpress.com/2012/01/11/massive-fire-breaks-out-at-guwahati-refinery-18721
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