Major fire breaks out at Hindustan Petroleum's refinery in Visakhapatnam; explosion suspected

A major fire broke out at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)'s refinery in Gajuwaka industrial area in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam late on Monday night, people familiar with the matter said.Massive smoke seen as major fire erupts at Hindustan Petroleum refinery in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. (HT)According to an HPCL employee, the blaze is believed to have erupted within the refinery's premises. "We have heard sounds of an explosion in the area. Flames quickly spread to nearby areas, sending thick clouds of black smoke into the sky and engulfing the surrounding locality,” the employee said.Alarmed by the massive flames and thick smoke, residents in nearby areas rushed out of their homes.Soon after receiving information about the fire, the refinery's internal firefighting teams, along with fire engines from different parts of the city, rushed to the spot and launched firefighting operations.As a precautionary measure, refinery officials suspended power supply to the affected area and evacuated personnel to safer locations.Police personnel were deployed around the facility to prevent people from entering the affected premises.Firefighters were continuing efforts to bring the blaze completely under control. There was no immediate information about casualties or the extent of damage caused by the fire.