An onsite emergency response drill was conducted at the Indian Oil Corporation’s Tiruchi terminal at Vazhavanthankottai on the city’s outskirts on Tuesday to test preparedness of staff to handle contingencies. The drill was conducted on a tank storing 1,835 kilo litres of superior kerosene oil. Fire fighting facilities such as sprinkler systems, foam pourer system and water monitors were tested. About 225 litres of Aqueous Film Forming Foams and 200 kilo litres of water were used to combat fire. Three teams – combat, auxiliary and rescue – took part in the drill that lasted for nine minutes. Fire tenders from BHEL and Navalpat supported the teams. An ambulance from the Primary Health Centre in Tiruverumbur was positioned at the spot. Mutual aid members joined the drill that is conducted once in six months as per the Factories Act, a press release from Haresh J Manshani, Chief Terminal Manager, IOC, Tiruchi Terminal, said.
