At least eight people were injured in a major explosion at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) refinery in Mathura late on Tuesday, the company confirmed on Wednesday. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud blast followed by massive flames that were visible from several kilometers away. The explosion occurred in the crude distillation unit, which had been undergoing maintenance for the past month.
Incident Details: Fire Contained, Operations Unaffected
The fire was swiftly extinguished, and IOC assured that refinery operations continued without disruption. According to the company, there was no damage to plant machinery. The injured workers were initially treated at the refinery’s on-site hospital, but four critically injured individuals were later transferred to a private hospital in the city for advanced care.
Renu Pathak, Senior Corporate Manager at Mathura Refinery, stated, “The refinery’s management has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion.” She also confirmed that the fire had been fully extinguished and that the situation was stable.
IOC’s Second Refinery Incident in a Week
This explosion marks the second significant incident reported by IOC within a week. On Monday, a tank fire at its 13.7 MTPA Gujarat refinery claimed the lives of two workers and injured two others. The timing and frequency of these incidents have raised concerns over safety protocols at IOC’s refineries.
Explosion Timeline and Emergency Response
Inspector Sonu Kumar from the refinery police station reported that the explosion occurred between 8:30 PM and 9:00 PM. Workers near the plant’s main area were injured. Initially, the refinery attempted to manage the fire internally before notifying local authorities once the situation was under control.
Investigation Underway
Following the explosion, an investigation has been initiated to determine the root cause of the fire at the Mathura refinery. IOC has stated that they are working closely with authorities to assess the situation and implement any necessary safety measures to prevent future incidents.
