The death toll in the fire at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.'s plant in Uran, Navi Mumbai, rose to four on Tuesday, while three others were injured.
The dead included three personnel from Central Industrial Security Force. The victims died during a blast while they were trying to check gas leakage at the site, a senior CISF official said.
The fire has had no impact on oil processing at the unit, ONGC said, adding that gas from the Uran plant was diverted to its Hazira plant in Gujarat's Surat district. City gas distributor Mahanagar Gas Ltd., however, said its CNG stations in Mumbai are facing low pipeline pressure due to the ONGC Uran fire.
According to the state-run firm, the fire broke out in a storm water drainage unit at its Uran plant and was doused within two hours.
Following the blaze, smoke engulfed the area, the local police said. They appealed to people staying in villages close to the plant not to panic, and assured the situation was under control.
According to police officials, the fire broke out at 6:47 am in ONGC's processing plant in Uran, about 50 km from Mumbai. At least 22 fire brigade tenders, including those of ONGC, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Reliance Group, Navi Mumbai civic body and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation at Taloja, were rushed to the spot.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to ascertained.
A fire broke out in storm water drainage early morning 2day in Uran oil & gas processing plant.ONGC fire services & crisis managemnt team immediately pressed in2 action. Fire is being contained. No impact on Oil processing.Gas diverted to Hazira Plant. Situation is being assessed
September 3, 2019According to CISF's Deputy Inspector General (West Zone) NIlima Singh, a CISF fire station was informed in the morning about gas leakage near ONGC's Uran plant. The CISF personnel and others then rushed to the site and detected the leakage.
"They managed to close the valve and were observing if there was any other leakage, but there was a blast and all the three CISF personnel along with the ONGC DGM died," said Singh. The blast took place in the crude handling plant of the ONGC, she added.
The deceased were identified as Eranna Nayakka, Satish Prasad Kushwaha and MK Paswan of the CISF, and ONGC's Resident Production Superintendent CN Rao.
The injured persons were admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment, said Singh. "Because of the alertness and dedication of the CISF personnel, a major damage to the entire plant and township was averted. The CISF personnel sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.”
Meanwhile, the police said there was nothing to worry and asked people staying near the plant to stay calm. "The situation is under control and we appeal to the villagers staying nearby not to panic," a senior police official said.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
