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A massive fire broke out at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) refinery in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, following an explosion, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky and triggering concern among local residents.
According to NDTV, the fire originated in a sulphur pitch tank at the refinery. Videos circulating online showed flames engulfing the tank, with huge clouds of smoke billowing into the air.
Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi confirmed the incident, saying the fire was confined to the affected tank and posed no threat to other parts of the refinery.
In a statement, HPCL said its firefighting teams rushed to the site immediately after receiving information about the incident and brought the blaze under control within a short time.
The company confirmed that no casualties were reported and all refinery units remained safe and operational.
According to HPCL, the fire broke out at an intermediate pitch storage tank at its Visakh Refinery at around 10pm on November 2, 2026.
The refinery’s firefighting and safety teams promptly launched emergency response measures to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading.
HPCL reiterated that the fire was restricted to the pitch tank area and that refinery operations continued safely.