Overview
- The fire, which erupted Monday night at HPCL’s Visakhapatnam refinery, was reported to have started in a sulphur pitch tank within the plant’s Residue Upgradation Facility.
- HPCL’s internal firefighting teams moved immediately and, according to police, brought the blaze under control within about an hour without calling in additional city fire stations.
- Officials and police reported no casualties or injuries and said the smoke from the burning pitch tank was not considered hazardous to nearby residents.
- Power to the affected section was suspended and personnel were evacuated as a precaution, and the exact cause of the incident and whether an explosion occurred are now being examined by HPCL and Visakhapatnam police.
- The refinery’s history of past accidents and the specialised nature of pitch and residue units, which store heavy sulphur‑rich byproducts that produce dense smoke when they burn, mean investigators and local officials will review safety procedures and any potential impact on refinery output.