Major fire breaks out at HPCL's Vizag refinery; no casualties reported

Visakhapatnam: A major fire broke out at state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited's (HPCL) Visakh Refinery in Visakhapatnam on Monday evening, sending towering flames and thick smoke into the sky and triggering panic in nearby residential and industrial areas. No casualties have been reported in preliminary accounts of the incident.

The fire reportedly originated near a tank containing residue upgradation facility (RUF) pitch oil, a heavy petroleum residue associated with bitumen production. The flames were visible from adjoining roads and neighbourhoods, particularly Malkapuram and Sriharipuram, raising concerns among residents about the safety of the refinery complex.

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Fire tenders were immediately deployed, and emergency response teams began operations to contain the blaze, according to reports. However, the extent of damage and the operational impact on the refinery remained unclear.

Explosion reports remain unconfirmed

Videos recorded by commuters and local residents showed flames rising from the refinery premises. The footage circulated widely on social media, fuelling speculation about a possible explosion inside an oil storage tank.

While initial reports referred to a suspected explosion, there was no confirmed official finding establishing that a tank had exploded. The precise origin of the fire and the circumstances leading to the incident were still being examined.

There was also no confirmed assessment of whether the incident had affected adjoining processing units or disrupted refinery operations.

HPCL confirms fire in pitch tank

An HPCL source told PSUWatch that the fire occurred in a pitch tank at the refinery's Residue Upgradation Facility. The official attributed the unusually thick smoke to the high viscosity of the material stored in the tank.

The official said, "No known injuries or fatalities have been reported. The extent of property damage will be assessed tomorrow."

In a separate confirmation, Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Shankabrata Bagchi told PTI that the fire had caused no casualties. The cause remained unconfirmed, according to the report updated at 11:21 pm on Monday.

Previous refinery fires raise safety concerns

Monday's incident comes against the backdrop of earlier fires involving HPCL facilities. On May 25, 2021, a major fire occurred at the Visakh refinery's Crude Distillation Unit-III. A subsequent investigation examined the cause of the incident, the adequacy of safety measures and whether any negligence or operational lapses had contributed to the accident. The government later informed Parliament that the incident had caused no injuries.

More recently, on April 20, 2026, a fire broke out near the crude distillation unit at HPCL's Rajasthan refinery in Pachpadra. Preliminary findings pointed to a suspected hydrocarbon leak. The incident led to the postponement of the refinery's scheduled dedication by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Impact on refinery operations unclear

HPCL's Visakh refinery is one of the company's principal refining assets, with an installed processing capacity of 15 million metric tonnes per annum.

According to HPCL's latest quarterly operational disclosure, the refinery processed 3.60 million metric tonnes of crude oil during July-September 2026, operating at 95 percent of its capacity.

The latest incident raises fresh questions about industrial fire prevention, emergency preparedness and the handling of combustible petroleum residues at large refining complexes.

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However, any conclusion about a safety failure would be premature until the cause of the fire is established.

The immediate questions are whether the fire was confined to the pitch tank, whether neighbouring processing units were affected, what triggered the ignition and whether refinery operations have suffered any disruption.

A detailed assessment of the damage and an official explanation of the cause are awaited at the time of writing the news.

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