Over 20 injured in fire at naphtha pipeline in West Bengal’s Haldia

Haldia (WB): More than 20 people were injured after a major fire broke out in a naphtha-carrying pipeline of Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district in the early hours of Tuesday, police said.

The fire was first spotted around 2:45 am, they said, adding that it quickly spread, engulfing several houses in the Chiranjibpur area in Ward 13 of Haldia Municipality.

Twelve fire trucks were deployed, and firefighting operations are still underway, police said.

“Over 20 people, mostly locals, were injured in the fire. Of them, five are critical. Some are undergoing treatment here, while some were referred to hospitals in Kolkata,” a police officer said.

Among the injured were two security personnel of the company, he said.

The injured were initially taken to the Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Five of them were later shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital, he added.

“Around 10 people are being shifted to state-run SSKM Hospital and NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, besides two other private hospitals in the city,” he said.

Police said the fire had been brought under control.

“The firefighters are using foam and fly ash, and hopefully, it will be doused soon,” the officer said, noting that a few houses were completely gutted in the blaze.

“We suspect that leakage from the naphtha pipeline led to the fire, but a formal investigation will reveal the exact cause,” he said.

The blaze also damaged overhead railway equipment near the site, disrupting train services, officials said.

In a statement, HPL said preliminary information indicated that the incident might have occurred in the vicinity of an unauthorised naphtha theft point near its plant.

Naphtha is a highly combustible and extremely flammable hydrocarbon, and HPL has repeatedly cautioned local communities against unauthorised access to or handling of petroleum products because of the associated safety risks, it said.

“It would be premature to comment further or attribute responsibility until the investigation is complete,” the company said, maintaining that it would continue to cooperate fully with the investigating agencies.

“Our thoughts are with those affected,” it added.

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