Refinery fire in south India kills four
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A massive fire broke out Friday at a petroleum refinery in southern India, killing four workers and leaving dozens injured, police said.
Another 11 people were feared trapped at the Hindustan Petroleum Corp refinery in Visakhapatnam, a port city 503 kilometres (313 miles) from Andhra Pradesh state capital Hyderabad, officials added.
"The mishap occurred at a block in the refinery where a new tower is being constructed," city police commissioner B. Sivadhar Reddy told AFP.
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"As of now, four workers have been burned to death and about 30 are injured. Some of the injured persons are in critical condition," Reddy said, adding that a short-circuit may have triggered the blaze.
Firefighters were still battling the flames late Friday. Residents in the vicinity of the refinery have been evacuated as a precaution, police said.
N. Satish, a resident of the area, said he had heard what sounded like a big explosion early in the evening.
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"I heard a huge sound and saw a lot of smoke billowing out of the refinery. At that time I was nearly seven kilometres (four miles) from the refinery," he told AFP.
Fire and other accidents are common in India's factories because of a lack of safety measures and inspections.
The United Nations' International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that nearly 50,000 Indians die from work-related accidents or illness each year.