Three personnel from the CISF fire and safety wing and the Residential Plant Supervisor of ONGC were killed in a major fire that broke out at the oil and gas processing plant of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in Uran, Navi Mumbai, early on Tuesday.
The deceased have been identified as C.N Rao (50), Residential Plant Supervisor of ONGC; Capt. E. Nayaka (48), S.P. Kushwaha (36) and M.K. Paswan (33) of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
The three personnel were the first responders to the fire call. During the fire fighting mission, there was an explosion resulting in the severe injuries received by the personnel, according to a CISF spokesperson.
CISF Constables Mahesh K.R. and Shindu Raj were injured.
The ONGC’s fire services and crisis management team were pressed in action to contain the fire.
"Such a huge fire has been doused within two hours. The cause of fire and its impact is being ascertained," an ONGC spokesperson told The Hindu.
Residents from the neighbourhood of the ONGC plant were shifted to a school till noon as the smell of chemical was causing them discomfort.
There is no impact on the processing as the gas has been diverted to Hazira plant in Gujarat.
While the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, fire tenders have been rushed to the spot to douse the flames.
“All bus depots have been instructed to fill up buses with the gas that is already in the pipeline. We are monitoring the situation and will take future course of action in co-ordination with ONGC,” a spokesperson of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, said.
The ONGC shares on the Bombay Stock Exchange were trading down 2.35% at ₹118.35 in a weak Mumbai market on Tuesday morning.
CNG services hit in Mumbai
Compressed natural gas (CNG) services in and around Mumbai were affected owing to a major fire at ONGC’s gas processing facility in Uran on Tuesday morning.
“Gas supply to MGL’s City Gate Station at Wadala has been severely affected,” said Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) in a statement.
MGL is ensuring that supply to its domestic piped natural gas (PNG) consumers is maintained on priority without interruption.
However, many CNG stations across Mumbai may not operate due to low pressure in the pipeline, said the MGL statement, adding that industrial and commercial customers have been advised to switch to alternative fuel.
Gas supplies across MGL’s network will normalise once the supply of natural gas from ONGC is restored, the statement added.
MGL shares on BSE were trading down 0.38% at ₹842.15 in a weak Mumbai market on Tuesday morning.