A major fire broke out at HPCL’s Visakhapatnam refinery on Monday night. The blaze started in a pitch tank and sent thick black smoke over nearby areas. Officials later confirmed that no one was killed or injured.
Fire breaks out at pitch tank
The fire started at about 10.15 pm on Monday at the refinery in Malkapuram, in the Gajuwaka industrial area of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It broke out in a pitch tank at the plant’s Residue Upgradation Facility. The tank held Ruf Pitch Oil, a thick material used to make bitumen. Flames rose several metres high, and thick black smoke spread over the area. The fire caused panic among people living nearby, in Malkapuram and Sriharipuram.
Firefighters bring blaze under control
Five HPCL fire tenders and city fire engines rushed to the site. Firefighters used foam to fight the flames, which were burning at two locations. As a safety step, power supply to the affected area was switched off, and workers were moved to safer places. The main fire was brought under control within about an hour, though thick smoke kept rising from the unit for some time.
No casualties, cause under investigation
Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Shankabrata Bagchi confirmed that there were no casualties. Early reports spoke of an explosion, but officials have not confirmed a blast. HPCL sources said a tank explosion was unlikely. Early reports point to a possible defect in an overhead electrical line, but the exact cause is still under investigation. The full damage will be assessed on Tuesday.
Read more of our Iran Claims Four Oil Tankers Exploded After Hitting Mines in Strait of Hormuz story, and more Trend & Society coverage.
About the Visakhapatnam refinery
The Visakh refinery is one of HPCL’s main plants. It can process 15 million metric tonnes of crude oil per year. The pitch unit is part of the Rs 26,264-crore Visakhapatnam Refinery Modernisation Project. HPCL commissioned the Residue Upgradation Facility in January this year. The same facility was hit by a fire in September 2025, when a hydrogen leak caused a loud bang while the unit was still under construction. An earlier fire broke out at the plant’s Crude Distillation Unit-III in May 2021.
Comments (1)
Be respectful — comments are moderated.[…] Shootings Near US Colleges: 3 Killed, 30 Wounded in Weekend Violence•HPCL Visakhapatnam Refinery Fire: Massive Blaze at Pitch Tank, No Casualties Reported•Iran Claims Four Oil Tankers Exploded After Hitting Mines in Strait of Hormuz•Bank of England […]