Pics: Vizag refinery fire; death toll rises to 11

Updated: Saturday, August 24, 2013, 13:08 [IST]

Vishakhapatnam, Aug 24: The death toll in the fire break out at the state-owned HPCL refinery-cum-petrochemical complex on Friday has increased to 11 while many were injured.

Workers gave calls for boycotting work and protested in front of the HPCL on Saturday. It was said that more workers went missing after the mishap and their kin were protesting. union minister Panabaka Lakshmi, an MP from Andhra Pradesh, visited the site on Saturday.

The fire broke out at 4 pm and was brought under control after an intense fight, local authorities said. The injured were taken to various hospitals.

Initial reports from the site suggested that the fire occurred due to blasting of a cooling tower due to short circuit. Later, it was said that the fire was away from the cooling tower.

A fire had broken out in the same plant earlier this year, although it did not cause any major disaster. The Vishakhapatnam plant is one of the two Hindustan Petroleum refineries in India, the other being in Mumbai.

The toll-free helpline number for those seeking information related to the mishap is 180042500002.

In Visakhapatnam

Fire at the Vishakhapatnam refinery on Friday.

In Visakhapatnam

Ambulances wait to take those injured in the refinery fire to the hospital.

In Visakhapatnam

Fire at the refinery.

In Visakhapatnam

Firefighters douse the deadly flames that broke out at a HPCL refinery in Vishakhapatnam, on Friday.

In Visakhapatnam

Smoke caused by the fire at the HPCL refinery on Friday.

In Visakhapatnam

Firefighters douse the flames at a refinery in Vishakhapatnam on Friday.

In Visakhapatnam

One of the injured in the HPCL refinery fire being treated in a hospotal.

In Visakhapatnam

The injured in the HPCL refinery fire being taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

In Visakhapatnam

A view at the hospital where those injured in the HPCL refinery fire are being treated.

In Visakhapatnam

A person injured in the deadly HPCL refinery fire being treated in a hospital.

In Visakhapatnam

The death toll in the fire break out at the state-owned HPCL refinery-cum-petrochemical complex on Friday has increased to four while over 30 were injured.