A fire at a petrochemical plant in eastern India has left at least 20 people injured, five of them in critical condition, according to police.
The fire ignited Tuesday in a naphtha pipeline at a facility operated by Haldia Petrochemicals. The blaze quickly spread beyond the plant’s boundaries, reaching homes in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district — located roughly 130 kilometers, or about 80 miles, southwest of the state capital, Kolkata.
Twelve fire engines were deployed to battle the blaze and eventually bring it under control. Emergency crews rescued the injured and transported them to nearby medical facilities. Among those hurt were workers at the plant and at least two security guards, police said.
Footage captured at the scene showed firefighters spraying water on the burning pipeline as dense black smoke billowed into the air above the facility.
Naphtha, the substance involved in the pipeline fire, is a highly flammable petroleum-based product commonly used in the manufacturing of fuels and various chemicals.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the fire. Haldia Petrochemicals released a statement confirming the company has launched an investigation into the incident.
