Blast victims shifted to Bangalore hospital

They are Vikram Das (32) a blasting expert from Assam, Lawrence Pereira (32), a driver from Katipalla near Surathkal and Sheikh Abdulla Ghani (31), a safety officer from Madanthyar.

Another injured person, Shivnath from Uttar Pradesh, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mangalore.

Three persons - Song (36), an explosives expert from Korea; Sirajuddin (25), a safety supervisor from Katipalla and Sushram Chauhan (40), a labourer from Uttar Pradesh - were killed on Thursday, when experts were trying to diffuse explosives outside the rock cavern being built to store crude oil.

The cavern, when completed, can store 1.5 million tonnes of oil. The foundation stone for the construction of the oil reserve near Kalavar Padav in Surathkal was laid in May 2009 and the facility is to be commissioned by mid-2012.

ISPRL CEO visits

ISPRL Chief Executive Officer, Rajan Pillai, who visited the spot on Friday, said he did not have details about the incident, as he could not speak to any of the eye witnesses.

ISPRL was the client and a joint venture between SKEC (South Korean Engineering and Constructions) and KCT (Karam Chand Thaper) was implementing the project, Pillai said. Experts from SKEC-KCT were yet to visit the site, he added.

Sources said that the unscientific manner of waste disposal may be the reason for the mishap. However, the authorities concerned are yet to find the actual reason behind the blast.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalikatti, after visiting the spot, said a report on ‘facts of incidents’ had been sent to the government. City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said a criminal case had been registered against ISPRL officials at Bajpe police station.