CHENNAI: A 48-year-old worker died and another was injured after a fire accident leading to a blast in a tank at the oil terminal owned by IOCL (Indian Oil Corporation Limited) at Tondiarpet on Wednesday. The incident occurred during a planned maintenance activity of an Ethanol storage tank managed by a contractor.

The deceased was identified as G Perumal (48) of Parameshwarar Nagar in Tondiarpet. Another worker, Saravanan (45) is undergoing treatment at the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital.

According to the police, Perumal, a welder was hired for maintenance work at the 50,000 litre capacity ethanol tank in the POL terminal, when the accident happened.

Hearing a blast, other workers in the plant alerted the police and Fire and rescue services, who rushed to the scene and put down the fore. At least five fire tenders from the nearby locations were pressed into the service. Meanwhile, an in-house fire fighting unit had fought the fire, police said.

A senior TNFRS (Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services) officer said that the fire was put out after about half an hour. Joint Commissioner of Police (north), Abhishek Dixit visited the scene and conducted enquiries. Tondiarpet police have registered a case and are investigating.

The deceased Perumal is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.