Two more workers died here on Tuesday and the toll rose to 11 in the HPCL refinery accident which occurred last week, according to B.K. Namdeo, Director (Refineries).

He told reporters that M. Thota Rao, 44, and K. Shankara Rao, 40, succumbed to burn injuries in private hospitals and 26 workers are undergoing treatment in the hospitals here and eight in Mumbai hospitals. He said four more workers were air-lifted to Mumbai on Tuesday on the advice of doctors.

Namdeo said a forensic team from Hyderabad had visited the blast site in the cooling tower to gather evidence and the debris cleaning process would be completed soon.

He said 102 workers were at the site when the blast occurred in the cooling tower on Friday - 94 of them being contract workers.

Namdeo as well as V.V.R Narasimham, Executive Director in-charge of the refinery, said all the standard operating procedures had been followed after the accident and the authorities had responded promptly to bring the situation under control and to initiate relief measures.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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