Fire Breaks Out at Visakhapatnam HPCL Refinery, Residents Reassured

A fire broke out near a newly installed cooling tower at the HPCL refinery in Visakhapatnam, raising concerns among residents in surrounding localities. Flames and smoke were reportedly seen near the plant, prompting people from Malkapuram, Sriharipuram and Scindia to worry about the situation and its possible impact on nearby residential areas.

Responding to the incident, Malkapuram Circle Inspector E. Narasimha Rao said the fire was under control and that HPCL’s in-house firefighting team was working to extinguish it using the facility’s fire engines. He clarified that there was no need to bring in external fire engines and confirmed that no casualties or injuries had been reported so far. The officer urged residents not to panic and assured them that the situation was being handled.