HALDIA: A major fire broke out early Tuesday morning in a pipeline at Haldia Petrochem. Several workers present at the site suffered serious burn injuries and are currently undergoing treatment at Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Since the location is near the Haldia-Mecheda railway link, the morning Haldia-Howrah local train could not depart on time as a safety measure.According to local sources, the incident took place between 4 and 4.30 am on Tuesday near the railway tracks on the Haldia Refinery side, when a pipeline carrying naphtha suddenly caught fire. The flames were so intense that several workers in the surrounding area were badly burned.After learning of the incident, local residents and factory authorities rushed to rescue the injured and sent them to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Some of them are in critical condition.Haldia Petrochem stated that an investigation is underway to determine how the accident occurred. The factory management also said that ensuring worker safety is their top priority at the moment. They added that proper medical treatment for the injured is also being given utmost importance. The incident has caused widespread concern in the area.Meanwhile, early morning passengers traveling from Haldia to Panskura or Howrah have been affected by the disruption. Because the flames spread dangerously close to the railway line, the morning train from Haldia was delayed for safety reasons. As a result, many daily commuters were inconvenienced.
