Oil tanker blast: 2 succumb to burns

KANNUR: Two people, who suffered serious burn injuries in the gas tanker explosion at Chala near Kannur town, died here on Tuesday.
Srilatha (48), a resident of Srinilayam, near Chala Bhagawathi temple, died at Koyili Hospital on Tuesday morning while Abdul Azeez (55), a resident of Chala, succumbed to injuries in the evening at Pariyaram Medical College Hospital.
A tanker lorry of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), going from Mangalore to Chelari near Kozhikode, had hit the divider at Chala and exploded on Monday night around 11.30pm.
Fourteen of the injured are still in a critical state, said hospital sources.
Chief minister Oommen Chandy visited the accident spot and met the injured at various hospitals.
The CM has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the relatives of the deceased. Families of those who suffered injuries will be given an interim relief of Rs 10,000.