Haldia (West Bengal), June 30 (HS): Several people were injured after a major fire broke out in a naphtha-carrying pipeline of Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in Purba Medinipur district in the early hours of Tuesday, damaging nearby houses, disrupting train services and triggering a large-scale firefighting operation.

The fire was reported around 2.45 a.m. and quickly spread to Chiranjibpur in Ward 13 of Haldia Municipality, engulfing several houses in the locality.

Multiple fire tenders were deployed and firefighters continued operations to bring the blaze under control. Officials said the exact cause of the incident is under investigation.

The injured, including local residents and company personnel, were initially taken to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Those with serious burn injuries were referred to hospitals in Tamluk and Kolkata for advanced treatment.

In a statement, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd said preliminary information suggested that the incident might have occurred near an unauthorised naphtha theft point in the vicinity of its plant.

The company said it would be premature to attribute responsibility until the investigation is completed. It added that plant operations had not been affected and reiterated that local communities had been repeatedly cautioned against unauthorised access to petroleum products because of the associated safety risks.

Police suspect leakage from the naphtha pipeline may have triggered the fire, though the exact cause will be established only after a detailed investigation.

The blaze also damaged overhead railway equipment near the site, disrupting train services on the Haldia-Mecheda section. Railway authorities temporarily suspended train movement as a precaution after flames spread close to the tracks.

The affected area has been secured and investigations are underway.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar