Mumbai: Four people, including three Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, were killed after a massive fire broke out at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) plant in Uran, Navi Mumbai, around 6.45 am on Tuesday. Three CISF men have been hospitalised for burn injuries.
According to ONGC officials, the blaze erupted in the stormwater drainage system, engulfing the site in a dense layer of smoke. An explosion also occurred in the pipeline shortly after the fire broke out — according to the Navi Mumbai police — which exacerbated the situation. Around 25 fire tenders from ONGC, JNPT, Dronagiri, Panvel, Nerul, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Reliance Group and MIDC Taloja were present at the spot to douse the flames. The conflagration was contained finally two hours later by the fire brigade and other agencies.
“No impact on Oil processing. Gas diverted to Hazira Plant (sic),” ONGC tweeted at 9.51 am.
The CISF, which is responsible for the security of the plant, had immediately rushed to the site and closed a valve after receiving an emergency call about a gas leak. The personnel were inspecting the site for another leakage when the blast occurred. “The explosion took place in the ONGC crude handling plant. Despite the blast, which led to casualties, the CISF team kept working on fire-fighting and controlled the flames,” said Nilima Singh, deputy inspector general (west zone), CISF. “Their dedication helped avert a major disaster at the plant and nearby township,” she added.
The deceased were identified as CISF personnel Eranna Nayakka, Satish Prasad Kushwaha and M.K. Paswan, and C.N. Rao, the resident production superintendent of ONGC.
Residents near the plant were shifted to a school due to heavy smoke and a foul odour and all areas were cordoned off within a radius of one kilometre of the site. “The whole area was reeking and smoke choked the surroundings. The area had to be cleared immediately and we returned home only in the evening,” said a resident.
