(TT)
A major fire broke out on the premises of a naphtha cracker unit at the Haldia Petrochemicals (HPL) refinery in East Midnapore on Tuesday afternoon while contractual labourers were carrying out maintenance work.
Preliminary suspicion was that the fire started from oil accumulated in drain pipes at the plant. There were no casualties in the blaze which was controlled only after fire tenders from adjoining refineries arrived.
Local sources and employees said the fire occurred around 3pm while contractual labourers were carrying out maintenance work. “In any case, production is halted at the moment. Roughly 1,000 temporary workers are assisting our staff in the upkeep and the maintenance of the refinery,” said an HPL official.The on-duty workers said they had heard a “flash and a bang” and then witnessed a “tower of fire” near the naphthacracker unit.
