Mumbai ONGC plant fire: 4 killed, gas being diverted to Gujarat

At least four people died and a few others sustained injuries after a major fire broke out at a gas processing plant owned by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) at Uran, around 50 kilomtres east of Mumbai on Tuesday morning.

According to the police, the fire broke out around 6.45 am, when some employees were working inside the unit. The fire engulfed a large part of the plant within a few minutes. Around 12 fire tenders were rushed the spot.

The police control room confirmed that four people were killed in the incident.

ONGC tweeted that the fire broke out in storm water drainage early morning in the Uran plant, around 50 km from Mumbai. It added that gas is being diverted from Uran to ONGC’s plant in Hazira in Gujarat.

A fire broke out in storm water drainage early morning 2day in Uran oil & gas processing plant.ONGC fire services & crisis managemnt team immediately pressed in2 action. Fire is being contained. No impact on Oil processing.Gas diverted to Hazira Plant. Situation is being assessed

— ONGC (@ONGC_) September 3, 2019

In another tweet after a few minutes, ONGC said that fire was successfully doused within two hours.

Jagdish Kulkarni, senior inspector from Uran police station said, “We have not been able understand the real scenario and the casualties caused by the fire. It will take us some more time to get a clear picture.”

“It appeared to be a level four fire. But we yet to get quite a few details of the incident,” said a fire officer from JNPT.

The police said around 200 employees work in the unit where the fire broke out. ONGC, however, has not confirmed it.

In 2005, 11 people were killed in a fire at Mumbai High when a vessel collided with one of the four platforms of the rig. The economic loss was pegged at $300 million.

First Published: Sep 03, 2019 09:09 IST