A crude oil distillation unit, inside Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd’s (CPCL) refinery I in Manali, caught fire at 4.30 a.m. on Tuesday.
The fire was put out in an hour’s time by several in-house fire tenders, after isolating it, said company sources. There was no loss of life or injuries in the unit, which is part of the complex commissioned 50 years ago.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Ambattur, Madhvaram and Manali were also pressed into service.
Company officials said that the fire would not affect fuel supplies to the State in any manner. “The distillation unit has been isolated, and the rest of the refinery continues to function. Since we have two other refineries in Manali, with higher refining capacities, product supply will be maintained,” explained an official.
CPCL is Tamil Nadu’s lone crude oil refinery, and is a subsidiary company of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
