A major fire broke out at the Haldia Petrochemicals Limited (HPL) facility in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district early on Tuesday, leaving at least 20 people injured, including five who are reported to be in critical condition. The blaze erupted in a naphtha-carrying pipeline and quickly spread to nearby areas, triggering panic among workers and local residents.
According to police and company officials, the fire was first reported around 2:45 am. Thick black smoke and towering flames engulfed a section of the refinery complex and spread towards Chiranjibpur in Ward No. 13 of Haldia Municipality, affecting several nearby houses. Residents were awakened by loud sounds and rushed out of their homes as emergency teams reached the spot.
The injured include refinery workers and security personnel who were on duty when the incident occurred. They were initially taken to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital, while several critically injured victims were later shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital for advanced treatment. Hospital authorities said some of the victims suffered severe burn injuries and remain under close observation.
At least 12 fire tenders were pressed into service to contain the blaze. Firefighters battled the flames for several hours before bringing the situation under control. Visuals from the site showed massive flames and dense plumes of smoke rising from the pipeline as emergency teams continued cooling operations to prevent another explosion.
The incident also disrupted normal life in the industrial town, with train services on the Haldia-Howrah route being temporarily affected as authorities imposed safety restrictions around the area. Police cordoned off the surrounding region and urged residents to stay away from the accident site.
Haldia Petrochemicals, one of eastern India's largest petrochemical companies, said in a statement that it was investigating the cause of the incident and extending all necessary support to the injured and their families. Preliminary reports have suggested that the fire may have originated near an unauthorised naphtha theft point, although officials have not yet confirmed the exact reason behind the accident.
Authorities have launched a detailed inquiry into the incident, and safety audits at the plant are expected to be carried out in the coming days. The accident has once again raised concerns over industrial safety standards at facilities handling highly flammable materials such as naphtha.
