- A fire broke out in a naphtha pipeline at Haldia Petrochemicals early Tuesday morning
- At least 15 people were injured, some with critical burn injuries
- Thick black smoke was seen as workers and locals tried to control the fire
A massive fire broke out in a naphtha-carrying pipeline at Haldia Petrochemicals Limited (HPL) in West Bengal early Tuesday morning, leaving at least 15 people injured.
The incident occurred between 4:00 am and 5:00 am, when flames suddenly erupted from the pipeline. The fire was so intense that several workers present in the area suffered burn injuries.
In the visuals obtained, thick plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky as people struggled to douse the flames.
Local residents and factory authorities rushed to the spot soon after learning of the incident. The injured were rescued and taken to the Haldia Sub-divisional Hospital. The condition of some of the injured is reported to be critical.
Naphtha is a highly flammable liquid fuel made from crude oil in a refinery and is the main component of fuel oil production, such as gasoline and kerosene.
Factory authorities have not yet disclosed how the accident occurred. Further details are awaited.
(With inputs from agencies)
