Explosion at Mathura Refinery Injures 12 Workers, Investigation Underway

A significant explosion occurred at the Indian Oil Corporation's refinery on the Agra-Delhi National Highway, injuring around 12 people, according to police reports. This incident follows a similar explosion at an Indian Oil refinery in Vadodara, Gujarat, where two individuals lost their lives. Witnesses described hearing a loud blast and seeing flames rising from the Mathura refinery, visible from several kilometres away.

Renu Pathak, Senior Corporate Manager of Mathura Refinery, confirmed that approximately 12 individuals were injured in the explosion. The refinery management has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. The explosion happened in the Atmospheric Vacuum Unit (AVU) of the main plant, which was being restarted after a maintenance shutdown lasting one and a half months.

Explosion Details and Immediate Response

Inspector Sonu Kumar from the refinery police station stated that the explosion occurred between 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm, affecting several workers near the main plant. Initially, the refinery attempted to control the fire internally before informing local authorities once they had contained it. Traffic on the highway in front of the refinery was temporarily halted for safety reasons.

Among those injured, eight workers suffered burn injuries. Five received immediate treatment at the refinery's medical facility. Three others, with more severe injuries, were transferred to Delhi's Apollo Hospital for advanced care. Pathak noted that one employee sustained 50% burn injuries, while two others had 20% burns. The remaining five workers are being treated for minor injuries at the refinery's hospital.

Authorities' Actions and Safety Measures

The situation is now under control, with the fire fully extinguished. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to ensure quality medical care for those injured and to oversee relief efforts at the plant. The condition of all affected workers is reported as stable, with those critically injured being closely monitored.

On Monday, a separate incident occurred when a benzene storage tank exploded at an Indian Oil refinery in Vadodara's Koyali area, resulting in two fatalities. An IOCL official also sustained injuries during this fire.

The recent incidents have raised concerns about safety protocols at refineries. Authorities are expected to review procedures to prevent such occurrences in the future. The investigations will likely focus on identifying any lapses or technical failures that may have contributed to these explosions.