Toll from India oil blaze rises

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The death toll from a massive fire at an oil depot in the western Indian state of Rajasthan has increased to at least 10 people.

Dozens of people were injured as a result of the blaze at the depot near the tourist city of Jaipur, which is still reported to be burning.

It is unclear what caused the fire, which broke out on Thursday evening.

The depot, 16km (10 miles) south of Jaipur, stocks gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel for state-owned oil firms.

Huge explosions were heard before the fire broke out, and the blaze was visible from more than 25km away.

Black smoke billowed out of the oil depot owned by the state-owned Indian Oil Corporation as the fire spread and engulfed adjoining factories.

Some reports said that a leak in a pipeline could have caused the explosion and blaze, but they could not be confirmed.

Indian Oil Corporation Chairman Sarthak Behuria said the fire broke out at a petrol storage tank and quickly spread.

Ten people were killed in an oil platform fire off the west coast of India in July 2005 after an oil rig colliding with the platform.

The platform, in India's most important oilfield, was completely destroyed in the fire.