1 dead, over 20 injured as Haldia Petrochemicals naphtha pipeline catches fire in West Bengal

KOLKATA: A massive fire triggered by a naphtha pipeline blaze at Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district claimed the life of a 38-year-old woman and left more than 20 people injured on Tuesday, even as firefighters battled the flames for over 15 hours amid fears of fresh flare-ups.The blaze broke out around 2.45 am in a naphtha-carrying pipeline owned by HPL and quickly spread to nearby houses in the Chiranjibpur area of Ward 13 under Haldia Municipality, police said.While the fire has largely been brought under control, a small section of the pipeline continued to burn late into the day as naphtha trapped inside kept fuelling the flames."The fire has been largely doused, except for a small section near the pipeline that is still burning.

There is still a significant amount of naphtha there, which is fuelling the fire," a senior police officer told PTI."Because of the presence of naphtha, the fire could not be completely extinguished. It may take another eight to 10 hours," he said.Police identified the deceased as Manu Bibi (38), wife of Robaiyul of Bhabanipur, who succumbed to burn injuries at a Kolkata hospital.Four others remain in a critical condition and are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Kolkata, while 16 others are being treated at different medical facilities in Purba Medinipur.

Three people were discharged after receiving preliminary treatment."Over 20 people, mostly locals, were injured in the fire. Out of them, five are critical. Some are undergoing treatment here while some were referred to hospitals in Kolkata," the officer said, adding that two HPL security personnel were also among the injured.The injured were first taken to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital, with five later shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital.Twelve fire tenders were pressed into service and firefighting operations continued through the day."The firefighters are using foam and fly ash, and hopefully the blaze will be doused soon," the officer said, adding that several houses were completely gutted in the blaze.Police suspect the fire may have been caused by leakage from the naphtha pipeline, though the exact cause will be established after a detailed investigation.The blaze also damaged overhead railway equipment near the site, disrupting train services.In a statement, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd said preliminary findings suggested the incident might have occurred near an unauthorised naphtha theft point close to its plant.Describing naphtha as a highly combustible and extremely flammable hydrocarbon, the company said it had repeatedly cautioned local residents against unauthorised access to petroleum products because of the associated safety risks."It would be premature to comment further or attribute responsibility until the investigation is complete," the company said, adding that it would fully cooperate with the investigating agencies."Our thoughts are with those affected," the statement said.(With PTI inputs)