The Crossbill News Desk
A major fire at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (HPCL) Visakh refinery in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam triggered panic in nearby residential areas on Monday (November 2) night, after a loud explosion was followed by towering flames and thick clouds of black smoke. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
The blaze broke out in the pitch tower of the recently commissioned Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF), located in the Gajuwaka industrial area. The intensity of the fire and the smoke rising from the refinery were visible across neighbouring localities, The Hindu reported.
An HPCL employee, describing the incident, said: “Flames quickly spread to nearby areas, sending thick clouds of black smoke into the sky and engulfing the surrounding locality.”
The explosion and subsequent fire prompted residents in the surrounding areas to rush out of their homes, Hindustan Times reported.
Seeking to reassure people, Malkapuram police inspector E. Narasimha Rao circulated a voice message stating that the situation was under control. He said fire tenders from the refinery’s own fire and safety department had been deployed to tackle the blaze, making it unnecessary to call in additional firefighting engines from outside. He also said no deaths or injuries had been reported at the time.
The Residue Upgradation Facility processes heavy vacuum residue oil and converts it into higher-value products, including diesel and petrol. The unit operates at high temperatures, while the petroleum pitch handled there is highly viscous. These factors are believed to have contributed to the thick smoke generated by the fire. According to The Hindu, the damage to the structure within the pitch unit is expected to be significant.
As a precaution, HPCL officials disconnected the power supply to the affected section and moved personnel to safer locations. The refinery’s other major processing units, however, continued to operate.
HPCL officials told The Hindu that a technical committee would examine the incident and determine the cause of the fire. They also said that fuel production and supplies were not expected to be disrupted despite the damage to the facility.
The blaze broke out in the pitch tower of the recently commissioned Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF), located in the Gajuwaka industrial area. The intensity of the fire and the smoke rising from the refinery were visible across neighbouring localities, The Hindu reported.
An HPCL employee, describing the incident, said: “Flames quickly spread to nearby areas, sending thick clouds of black smoke into the sky and engulfing the surrounding locality.”
The explosion and subsequent fire prompted residents in the surrounding areas to rush out of their homes, Hindustan Times reported.
Seeking to reassure people, Malkapuram police inspector E. Narasimha Rao circulated a voice message stating that the situation was under control. He said fire tenders from the refinery’s own fire and safety department had been deployed to tackle the blaze, making it unnecessary to call in additional firefighting engines from outside. He also said no deaths or injuries had been reported at the time.
The Residue Upgradation Facility processes heavy vacuum residue oil and converts it into higher-value products, including diesel and petrol. The unit operates at high temperatures, while the petroleum pitch handled there is highly viscous. These factors are believed to have contributed to the thick smoke generated by the fire. According to The Hindu, the damage to the structure within the pitch unit is expected to be significant.
As a precaution, HPCL officials disconnected the power supply to the affected section and moved personnel to safer locations. The refinery’s other major processing units, however, continued to operate.
HPCL officials told The Hindu that a technical committee would examine the incident and determine the cause of the fire. They also said that fuel production and supplies were not expected to be disrupted despite the damage to the facility.
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