Haldia: A major fire erupted at a naphtha-carrying pipeline belonging to the Haldia refinery in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district early Tuesday morning, leaving more than ten people injured and causing widespread damage. The blaze was initially detected at approximately 2:45 a.m. and rapidly spread to the adjacent Chiranjibpur area in ward 13 of the Haldia Municipality, where it quickly engulfed several residential properties.
Emergency response teams rushed to the scene, deploying twelve fire trucks to combat the raging flames. Firefighting operations remained underway as crews worked to contain the inferno. Local authorities immediately launched rescue efforts to assist affected residents trapped or injured by the sudden spread of the fire.
The injured individuals were initially evacuated and transported to the Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital for urgent medical treatment. According to a local police official, five of the victims were subsequently transferred to the Tamluk Medical College and Hospital due to the severity of their injuries, with two individuals currently reported to be in critical condition.
The impact of the fire extended beyond the immediate residential neighbourhood, severely damaging overhead railway equipment near the incident site. This destruction has led to a significant disruption of local train services. Officials confirmed that the area has been secured, though a detailed investigation will be required to determine the precise cause of the pipeline failure and subsequent blaze.
