A major industrial accident struck Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) on Wednesday afternoon when an explosion followed by a massive fire occurred at the Coker Hydrotreater (CHT) Unit in Jokatte, near Mangaluru.
According to Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, the blast took place around noon.
MRPL officials clarified that the incident was triggered by the rupture of a cold separator operating at approximately 70 bar within the CHT unit. The explosion caused widespread panic in surrounding localities such as Katipalla, Kana, Bajpe, Kulai, and Jokatte, where residents reported a deafening sound, thick black smoke, and even shattered window panes in some areas.
According to reports, out of seven injured employees, one suffered around 35% burn injuries and was immediately admitted to the ICU at Srinivasa Hospital, where doctors confirmed he is currently out of danger. Six other individuals present in an adjacent office sustained minor injuries and were treated as outpatients.
Plant operators swiftly isolated the battery limit of the affected unit and evacuated the area. Fire tenders from MRPL, the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), and the state Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the site, bringing the blaze under control, though cooling operations continued for hours.
Authorities have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the separator rupture.
