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Man killed, 9 others injured in loud blast at MRPL refinery in Mangaluru
The sound of the explosion was reportedly heard in areas around Mangaluru International Airport, several kilometres from the refinery.
The explosion at the MRPL refinery was reported around 12.30 pm. (Screengrab)
An employee was killed and nine others were injured, one of them seriously, in a fire that erupted after an explosion on the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) premises in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district Wednesday.
Manish Karkara, 30, who worked at the refinery on a contractual basis, was reported missing after the incident. His body was later found in a charred condition, the police said.
Another refinery employee, Rajesh, 42, suffered burns and is undergoing treatment in a hospital ICU. Eight others sustained minor injuries and received treatment.
The explosion followed the rupture of a high-pressure cold separator operating in the Coker Hydrotreater unit at the refinery, the company said in a statement.
The police said the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained and that an investigation is underway.
The refinery is located at Kuthethoor, north of Mangaluru city. Residents in nearby areas including Jokatte, Kavoor, and Yeyyadi reported hearing a loud boom, while some of them felt the impact of the explosion.
“This is a plant near our house. The incident happened around 12.30 pm. The explosion was very loud, and the windows and gate of our house were damaged. We also noticed damage in some other nearby residential areas, including shattered glass panes and damaged walls,” a resident near the refinery told the media.
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The sound of the explosion was also reportedly heard in areas around Mangaluru International Airport, several kilometres from the refinery.
“This is a plant near our house. The incident happened around 12.30 pm. The explosion was very loud, and the windows and gate of our house were damaged. We also noticed damage in some other nearby residential areas, including shattered glass panes and damaged walls,” a resident near the refinery told the media.
The sound of the explosion was also reportedly heard in areas around Mangaluru International Airport, several kilometres from the refinery.
The refinery’s fire and emergency response teams brought the fire under control.
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Senior police and district officials are on the MRPL premises and monitoring the situation.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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