A fire broke out on Monday night at a pitch tank in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited’s Visakhapatnam refinery, with no injuries or fatalities known to have been reported, according to an HPCL official cited by The New Indian Express.
The official told the newspaper that the fire was in a tank at the refinery’s Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF). The report said the stored product’s high viscosity contributed to the thick smoke seen above the site. Fire tenders were sent to tackle the blaze; the extent of property damage was still to be assessed.
The Times of India reported that the fire was near a tank containing Ruf Pitch Oil and that its cause had not been established. Reports of an explosion circulated, but the newspaper said HPCL sources considered a tank explosion unlikely. The precise cause, damage and status of the firefighting operation remain unclear.
The Economic Times, citing police officials quoted by PTI, also reported no casualties and said the cause had yet to be confirmed.
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