Jaipur: Fire blazes in one tank, railways resume services

A week after fire broke out in the Indian Oil Corporation fuel depot near Jaipur, the blaze was still raging in one of the oil tanks, even as the North-West Railways resumed operations on the Jaipur-Kota section on Thursday.

Flames were still billowing from one tank and is likely to die down by tomorrow morning, said Chief Fire Officer Ishwarlal Jat.

Fire broke out on October 29 engulfing 11 fuel tanks in the depot that killed 12 and injured over 150 people.

The North-Western Railways, which had cancelled three local trains and diverted at least a dozen others during the past week, resumed operations after clearance from the Jaipur district administration, a railway spokesman said.

A trial train was operated on the Durgapura-Sanganer rail section passing through the area before dawn, the spokesman said, adding electronic signals damaged due to the inferno and blasts were repaired.

However, roadway buses were still being diverted. As soon as the fire dies out in the remaining tank, buses would start plying, official sources said.

A road over-bridge connecting Sitapura and Chaksu via tourist resort Chokhi Dhani would also be opened by Friday, they said.

Engineering, medical, technical, dental, and business colleges in the area would resume functioning from November 9, the sources said. In another development, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was given a cheque of Rs 50 crore by the Union petroleum ministry for relief work.

Meanwhile, Inspector Genenral of Police B L Soni said the Rajasthan Police had taken up cases filed against the IOC officials for alleged negligence.

Additional Superintendent of Police (East/Sadar) Yogesh Goyal has been given the task of investigating the cases, the IGP said.

Two types of FIR files have been created -- one involving deaths, another for property damage complaints, he added.

A death related FIR was being dealt under section 304 (A) of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by negligence) and over 200 property damage complaints under section 336/427 (act endangering life or personal safety of others and mischief causing damage) of the IPC which were filed by businessmen and college institutions of Sitapura, the IGP said.

Medical and health teams were still patrolling the Sitapura, Sanganer and Pratapnagar area to provide free treatment to patients with symptoms of eye burning, itching, skin and lung allergies, another official said.

Normalcy has returned in entire area barring the IOC campus that bore a deserted look.