Major fire breaks out at HPCL plant in Visakhapatnam, no casualties reported

A massive fire broke out at the HPCL plant in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday afternoon. In view of the fire incident, the district authorities rushed several teams of fire tenders to the spot.

NEW DELHI: A massive fire broke out at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) plant in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday afternoon. According to sources, the fire erupted in the crude distillation unit in the HPCL old terminal.

An emergency siren was immediately sounded following which the employees and workers rushed out of the unit.

"There was a deafening sound like a blast and there was a ball of fire. The siren was sounded and we all came running out to safety," some workers said, coming out of the plant.

Andhra Pradesh: Fire breaks out at HPCL plant in Visakhapatnam. District fire tenders being rushed to the spot. The cause of the incident yet to be ascertained. Details awaited. pic.twitter.com/n8JNfEqslx — ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2021

No casualties have been reported so far. In view of the fire incident, the district authorities rushed several teams of fire tenders to the spot.

A fire-fighting operation is currently underway and the fire-affected areas of the HPCL plant are being evacuated. 

The cause of the incident yet to be ascertained.