Baleshwar: An elderly man was killed and two others injured when an old oil storage tanker caught fire and exploded during repair work at a petrol pump in Odisha’s Baleshwar district Wednesday, police said.
The incident took place at Satya Sai Filling Station in Baligohiri under Ward No. 7 of Nilagiri town.
Gobardhan Nayak, inspector-in-charge of Nilagiri police station, said the deceased, who was engaged in repairing the tanker, had gone to attend nature’s call. As he was returning, the tanker exploded, and debris struck him, he said.
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The man and the two injured persons were immediately taken to Nilagiri sub-divisional hospital, where a doctor declared the 62-year-old dead.
The explosion was so powerful that it damaged the entire fuel station, police said.
Four people, including the petrol pump owner, were taken to the police station for questioning. An investigation into the incident is underway, Nayak said.
