No casualties were reported after a fire and explosion occurred at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited facility on Monday night.
A fire broke out at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) refinery in Visakhapatnam on Monday night, according to reports from The Indian Express, The New Indian Express and The Hindu.
The blaze reportedly originated in the pitch tank or sulphur storage tank within the Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF). An explosion in the tank caused flames and thick smoke to rise into the air, causing brief panic among local residents.
Malkapuram police station SHO E. Narasimha Rao stated that the fire was brought under control within an hour and confirmed there were no injuries or fatalities. While one report mentioned six fire tenders were used, another noted that the HPCL internal Fire and Safety Department responded immediately.
The thick smoke was attributed to the high viscosity of the product stored in the tank. Automated safety protocols allowed personnel to be evacuated safely while teams isolated the unit to prevent the fire from reaching adjacent facilities.
HPCL officials confirmed the incident and said a technical committee will look into the specific cause of the fire. They added that primary processing units continue to operate and fuel supply chains will not be impacted. The extent of property damage is expected to be assessed on Tuesday.
