Navi Mumbai: A major fire broke out at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) oil and gas processing plant in Uran on Monday afternoon, triggering widespread panic in the area. The fire was extinguished by evening following a massive, multi-agency firefighting operation and cooling operations were underway till late at night to prevent any re-ignition, said officials. There were no casualties or injuries in the incident, the officials added.
Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL), which supplies cooking gas in the city and suburbs, said gas supply to its Wadala station had been affected due to the incident and advised industrial and commercial consumers to switch to alternate fuels till supply was restored. Supply to domestic consumers would be maintained on priority without interruption, MGL said in a statement.
ONGC’s Uran plant in Raigad district is among the largest and most important oil and gas refineries in the region. The blaze at the plant was first reported around 2:15pm. The fire started near the main pipelines that carry crude oil from offshore assets in the Arabian Sea, and the sight of raging flames and thick smoke triggered immediate alarm among residents of the adjacent Nagaon and Kegaon villages, many of whom recalled a fatal fire at the same plant in 2019.
As per emergency protocol, a swift response was launched with at least eight fire tenders from ONGC’s internal safety unit. Personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which handles security for the plant, and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), were also deployed at the site for rescue operations.
The ONGC and local authorities evacuated all employees working in the plant as a precautionary measure. Residents from surrounding areas were also moved to safer locations and all roads leading to the plant were cordoned off to provide clear access to emergency vehicles.
Speaking to reporters in the evening, Uran tehsildar Dr Uddhav Kadam confirmed that the fire had been “successfully brought under control”.
The ONGC subsequently released a statement saying there was no loss of life or injury in the incident and the situation was being monitored. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained and the company would conduct a high-level inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading to it, said sources.
