Mangalore : A situation if tensed prevailed at Indian Oil Corporation Mangalore Terminal at Panambur on Thursday at 3 pm, after the tank lorry filling (TLF) operator out raised an alarm of fire from the place where oil was filled into the tanker.

The area was engulfed by smoke and simultaneously a fire was spotted. Immediately, TLF bay operator opened the fire extinguisher to douse the fire.

The fire combat team rushed to the spot immediately and with the instruction of Fire Chief Officer they sprayed water cum foam to douse the fire based on wind direction. Whereas, petroleum tanks located adjacent to it operated fixed water cooling system to avert the spread of fire.

When the foam was in the finishing stage, the auxiliary team also reached the spot to supply more foams and support the fire combat team. The rescue team searched for the mishaps and shifted injured truck driver to the safety zone in stretcher and rushed to the hospital after providing first aid treatment.

When the fire was not doused, three more fire brigades from Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers (MCF), Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) and New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) reached the spot and finally Fire Chief declared, ‘All clear’ through siren.

This was a mock drill conducted for 12 minutes under ’emergency response and disaster management plan ‘ to test the preparedness of IOC during the emergency situation and was a success said Chief Terminal Manager S K Chaudhuri.

Chaudhuri said that IOC Mangalore terminal is situated in 25 acre of land with the storage capacity of 1,22,452 kilo litre petroleum products including Motor spirit, Kerosene, High speed diesel, Ethanol, Naphtha etc. IOC caters the needs of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Kodagu and Uttara Kannada districts with its petroleum products.

He also said that IOC projects worth Rs 32 crore which has been sanctioned in Mangalore terminal has also installed latest technologies like Hydro carbon detectors, Automated rim seal fire protection system, High volume long range monitors (HVLR), Medium expansion foam generator (MEFG), Double block and bleed valve (DBBV), Remote operated shut off valve (Rosov)

City Police Commissioner R Hithendra, Deputy Director of Factories and Boilers K G Nanjappa, Assistant Director H Suresh and representatives of MRPL, KIOCL, NMPT, MCF participated in the drill.