The dry grass on the hillock on the premises of HPCL-Visakh Refinery burnt for a full 12 hours before it was brought under control on Wednesday morning. However, small fires continue to smoulder in areas that are inaccessible.
The fire started on the hillock on the premises of the refinery at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday. “Due to the prevailing wind conditions and dry grass, the fire spread upwards on the hill. The fire has been controlled by HPCL Fire Fighting Crew. Due to lack of accessibility, the fire could not be totally put off,” a Visakh Refinery official said in a statement on Tuesday night.
However, all precautions have been taken to prevent the spread of the fire further. The situation is totally under control and the Refinery operations are normal, the official added.
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The fire was brought under control at around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, official sources told The Hindu. The cause of fire has not yet been ascertained. The officials were busy making arrangements for the Wednesday review by A.P. Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao and Director General of Police J.V. Ramudu for the proposed visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate underground cavern crude storage facility.
Incidentally, the Visakh Refinery has implemented OSHA-PSM protocols that include process safety information, process hazard analysis, operating procedures, employee participation, training, contractors, pre-startup safety review and mechanical integrity, among others.
After the implementation of the safety protocols included training of contract workers when there was a blast in a cooling tower in August 2013 in which 26 persons died on the spot and while undergoing treatment for burns.
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