Published Sep 30, 2026 | 4:40 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 30, 2026 | 4:40 PM
MRPL said the affected unit was immediately isolated and personnel were evacuated.
Synopsis: Twelve people were injured after a fire broke out at an MRPL processing facility in Mangaluru on Wednesday afternoon. The fire followed the rupture of a high-pressure cold separator at the Coker Hydrotreater Unit and was brought under control after the unit was isolated and personnel evacuated. The explosion was heard at Mangaluru International Airport, about 11 km away.
Twelve people were injured after a massive fire broke out at a Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) processing facility in Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 30 September.
Six of those injured were in an office adjacent to the affected unit and sustained minor injuries, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy told South First. One of the injured, Rajesh Baptist, suffered around 35 percent burn injuries and was admitted to Srinivas Hospital. He is undergoing treatment in the ICU and is reported to be out of danger.
The incident occurred around noon at the Coker Hydrotreater Unit after a high-pressure cold separator ruptured, the company said.
MRPL said the affected unit was immediately isolated and personnel were evacuated. The battery limits of the unit were isolated as part of the emergency response, and emergency response and firefighting teams were deployed.
The teams brought the fire under control, the company said. Police and district officials reached the refinery after the incident. The circumstances that led to the rupture are being examined.
The fire was visible for kilometres around the facility, located to the northeast on the outskirts of the coastal city. Residents of the surrounding villages of Jokatte, Kavoor and Yeyyadi reported hearing a loud explosion. Videos of the fire on social media showed thick pillars of smoke billowing from the facility.
The explosion was also heard around Mangaluru International Airport, located about 11 km from the facility. An airport official said window panes at the airport’s administrative office rattled after the incident, according to reports.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he had instructed officials to ascertain the exact cause of the incident and submit a report.
“I hope all the injured recover soon. The safety of people and workers is a major priority of our government,” Shivakumar said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
