A major fire broke in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) refinery at Visakhapatnam last night at about 10.30 pm.  A blast occurred which triggered crude oil in the pipe line that made a big disaster causing fire rise as high as 70 to 80 feet.  Tremors of the blast in the surrounding area reached up to one km.  

Crude oil unit CD-3 in the HPCL refinery in Malkapuram at Visakhapatnam was the point from where the major fire took off.  It is the second major blast in HPCL after 1997.   An unconfirmed news came that the unit was shut down for some time and recently opened for its operation.  

Four fire tenders of HPCL’s safety wing immediately sprang in to action which was joined by six more fire tenders by the fire department.  The extinguishing of the fire and rescue operations went on till late night.  The situation said to have come under control now.  But the actual loss of life and property could not be ascertained.  

Concerned Officers are not available to make official announcements.  It was said that about 300 employees working the unit CD-1 which is close to CD-3 were evacuated.  Same number of workers might be there in CD-3 too but actual number of workers in CD-3 at the time of the unit when it was ablaze.  Locals in the surrounding area rushed to the main gate of HPCL in panic and to know what happened.  

AW-SriJa