Gas Tank Explodes At Hindustan Petroleum Plant In UP's Unnao, Nearby Villages Evacuated

A gas tank exploded at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Plant in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao on Thursday. Exact cause of the blast is not known yet. News Nation has learnt that as a precautionary measure, nearby villages are being evacuated. Fire tenders have rushed to the spot and the rescue work is underway. Three persons were injured in the explosion. The Hindustan Petroleum has not issued any official statement so far. Trains on way to and Sonik railway stations and trains to Lucknow were stopped at Uanno station. Besides, all roads leading to the plant area were sealed. The injured were rushed to the district hospital here for treatment, Chief Medical Superintendent Mewa Lal said. HPCL is a Navratna Status, and a Forbes 2000 company. It had originally been incorporated as a company under the Indian Companies Act 1913. HPCL has the second largest share of product pipelines in India with a pipeline network of more than 3370 kms for transportation of petroleum products.

This is second such explosion at a petrochemical plant. On September 3, a massive fire had broken out at the ONGC gas plant in Navi Mumbai's Uran. According to the Mumbai Police, 1 ONGC officer and 3 CISF personnel died in the blaze. 3 people also sustained injuries in the accident.

“A fire broke out at ONGC gas plant around 7 am today, 1 Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) officer&3 Central Industrial Security Force personnel have died. 3 people have been injured but they are out of danger (sic)”, Navi Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police (CP), Ashok Dudhe was quoted as saying by News Agency ANI.

The crisis management team of the ONGC was immediately pressed into action. It is being reported that there is no impact on Oil processing. As a precautionary measure, the gas from Uran Plant is being diverted to Hazira Plant.

The blaze erupted around 7 am in a processing plant of the ONGC located in Uran area of neighbouring Navi Mumbai, the police said.

Nearly 22 fire brigade tenders, including that of the ONGC, Navi Mumbai civic body and other agencies, were at the spot, the police official added.

In a similar incident, 40 people had lost their lives in a fire that broke out at a refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd’s (BPCL) refinery in Chembur, suburban Mumbai in 2018. The fire had sparked in the compressor shed at BPCL Mahul refinery, where the crude oil is refined.

HIGHLIGHTS

• HPCL is a Navratna Status, and a Forbes 2000 company.
• This is second such explosion at a petrochemical plant.
• Earlier, a blaze had broken out at ONGC gas plant in Navi Mumbai.