Haldia

More than 20 people sustained injuries after a major fire broke out in a naphtha pipeline belonging to Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district during the early hours of Tuesday, police officials said.

The blaze was reported at around 2.45 am and rapidly spread to nearby residential areas, engulfing several houses in Chiranjibpur under Ward 13 of the Haldia Municipality.

Authorities pressed 12 fire tenders into service to contain the flames, while firefighting operations continued through the morning.

Police said over 20 people, mostly local residents, suffered burn injuries in the incident. Five of them are stated to be in critical condition.

Two security personnel deployed at the HPL facility were also among those injured.

The victims were initially admitted to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Five critically injured persons were later shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital, while around 10 others were referred to SSKM Hospital, NRS Medical College and Hospital, and two private healthcare facilities in Kolkata for specialised treatment.

According to officials, the fire has largely been brought under control, though cooling operations are still underway.

Firefighters have been using foam and fly ash to extinguish the remaining flames, while several houses in the affected locality were completely destroyed by the blaze.

Preliminary findings suggest that leakage from the naphtha pipeline may have triggered the fire, though officials said the exact cause would be established only after a detailed investigation.

The incident also affected railway infrastructure, with overhead electrical equipment near the site suffering damage, resulting in disruption of train services in the area.

In an official statement, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd said early indications suggested that the fire may have originated near an unauthorised tapping point used for suspected naphtha theft close to the company's plant.

The company noted that naphtha is an extremely flammable hydrocarbon and reiterated that it has repeatedly warned nearby residents against illegally accessing or handling petroleum products due to the serious safety hazards involved.

HPL said it would refrain from drawing conclusions until the investigation is completed and assured full cooperation with the authorities conducting the probe.

READ MORE: Bait-ul-Maal: A Muharram beacon of Hindu-Muslim harmony

"Our thoughts remain with all those affected by the incident," the company said.