The fire at Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in East Midnapore district left one dead and over 20 injured, five of them in critical condition. The blaze in the naphtha-carrying pipeline was brought under control after nearly 18 hours of firefighting operations, while cooling operations are underway.
According to district officials, the fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, claiming the life of a 38-year-old woman.
The fire spread rapidly to Chiranjibpur of Haldia Municipality, sending towering flames and thick plumes of smoke into the night sky.
Twelve fire tenders were rushed to the spot and battled the blaze for several hours. Firefighters used foam and fly ash to contain the flames, while police cordoned off the area and evacuated residents from nearby localities.
The deceased, identified as Manu Bibi (38), succumbed to severe burn injuries at a Kolkata hospital. She had reportedly been preparing food before leaving for work when the fire spread to the nearby locality.
The injured were initially admitted to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital before several were shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital.
Around 10 others were referred to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, NRS Medical College and Hospital and two private hospitals for specialised treatment. Several workers present near the pipeline at the time of the incident also suffered burn injuries.
While the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, Haldia Petrochemicals indicated that preliminary findings point towards the vicinity of an unauthorised naphtha theft point near its plant.
“Preliminary information suggests that the incident may have occurred in the vicinity of an unauthorised naphtha theft point located in the plant vicinity,” the company said in an official statement.
The company, however, stressed that it would be premature to assign responsibility before the investigation is completed.
“We are aware of an incident that occurred at our Haldia facility, in which a few people have reportedly sustained injuries. The exact cause remains under investigation, and we are fully cooperating with the investigating agencies,” the statement read.
HPL added that the fire occurred at a location where incidents of naphtha theft had been reported in the past. The company reiterated that it has repeatedly warned local communities against unauthorised access to petroleum products because of the grave safety hazards involved.
“Our thoughts are with those affected,” the company said, adding that all injured persons are receiving medical attention.
“Naphtha is a highly combustible and extremely flammable hydrocarbon, and the Company has consistently cautioned local communities against any unauthorised access to or handling of petroleum products due to the serious safety risk involved,” the company added.
The company said it was extending all support to the injured by providing the best medical facilities and cooperating with the local authorities.
Police officials said leakage from the naphtha pipeline is suspected to have ignited the blaze, although forensic and technical investigations are expected to establish the precise sequence of events.
“We suspect that leakage from the naphtha pipeline led to the fire, but a formal investigation will reveal the exact cause,” a senior police officer said.
The blaze also damaged overhead railway equipment adjacent to the accident site, disrupting train services on the Haldia-Mecheda section. The morning Haldia-Howrah local was delayed as railway authorities suspended movement as a precaution after flames approached the tracks.
Local residents said the fire spread with alarming speed, engulfing several houses situated close to the pipeline. A number of homes were completely destroyed, while others suffered extensive damage.
HPL said that its plant operations have remained unaffected. The company operates a 700,000-tonne-per-year ethylene cracker at Haldia and is majority-owned by the US-based private equity firm The Chatterjee Group (TCG).