Special committee probes Sapugaskanda gas leakage

CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE

Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha appointed a special committee to probe last Friday's gas leakage incident at the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery.

The minister appointed a three -member special committee headed by Supreme Court Judge P K W Wijeratna yesterday, to carry out a full-scale investigation into the refinery's gas leakage, Petroleum Ministry sources said.

Minister Premajayantha told on Saturday he would appoint a special committee to carry out an investigation into the incident.

The Committee is to submit a report about the incident within three weeks. Former Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary Ranjith de Silva and Moratuwa University Chemical Science Engineering Department Prof Ajith de Silva are in the Committee tasked with the investigation, sources said. The two workers of the refinery who died in the incident were reportedly engaged in repair work at the refinery's aircraft fuel section. The incident took place around 3 30 pm. Sources said compensation would be paid to the victims' families. The matter will be decided today, they said.