One killed and nine injured after blast at Mangaluru refinery
A blast and fire at a Coker Hydrotreater Unit at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals killed a contract worker and injured nine others, police said. The blaze was brought under control after emergency teams isolated the affected unit. MRPL said a high-pressure Cold Separator ruptured; the cause remains under investigation in the supplied material.
One person was killed and nine others were injured after a blast and fire at the premises of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. in Mangaluru on Wednesday. The incident occurred in the refinery’s Coker Hydrotreater Unit around noon.
A loud explosion was heard in nearby areas, while smoke rose from the facility and window panes in surrounding buildings were shattered by the impact. Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy identified the deceased as Manish Karkera, 30, a contract worker from Mulky. Police said his body was found in a charred condition.
Another worker, Rajesh Baptist, suffered burns over 35% of his body and was taken to Srinivasa Hospital. Doctors said he was out of danger and was receiving treatment in the intensive-care unit. Eight people working in an office next to the unit sustained minor injuries and were treated as outpatients.
Fire tenders from the New Mangalore Port Authority and fire and emergency services joined MRPL’s firefighting teams. The fire was brought under control by 2.47 p.m., according to the company, although it said operations connected with safely handling the incident could continue for some time. MRPL said a Cold Separator operating at high pressure had ruptured in the Coker Hydrotreater Unit, resulting in the fire.
The affected unit’s battery limits were isolated and the company’s emergency-response and firefighting teams worked to contain the blaze. The blast was felt in Jokatte, including at a gram panchayat building, and in areas such as Angaragundi, Baikampady and Kulai, residents said. Mangaluru International Airport also felt the impact, although an airport official said there was no infrastructure damage.
An initial account cited a possible boiler explosion, but the company’s statement identified the rupture of the high-pressure Cold Separator. The supplied material does not report a final determination of the cause. MRPL said the situation was being monitored and urged people inside and outside the premises not to panic.
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