Fire breaks out at BPCL refinery in Mumbai, over 40 injured

MUMBAI: A fire broke out at state-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation’s Mahul refinery in Mumbai, injuring about 40 people. The accident took place around 2:45 pm on Wednesday at the compressor shed of the hydrocracker plant, triggering an explosion. Residents of Chembur said they heard a blast and felt tremors.

“The fire is still on but it is under control now,” a spokesperson from BPCL told ET at 7 pm on Wednesday.

“Around 40 people have been injured. While most of them have minor injuries, eight people have been kept under observation as their injuries are more serious,” the spokesperson said.


Executives from BPCL told ET they are investigating the reason for the fire and possible impact on output. While 19 people were taken to the refinery’s medical centre, the rest were rushed to nearby hospitals. According to reports, one person was critical.

“The hydrocracker unit has been safely shut down while the other units are normal. No product shortage is envisaged on account of the fire,” the company said. Residents of the area took to social media to upload images of the fire at the plant.

BPCL’s Mumbai refinery has a daily output of 240,000 barrels. It has undertaken projects to comply with Euro 4 quality norms, but local residents have often complained about pollution.