Surat: A massive fire today broke out today after at least three successive blasts at a plant of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in Hajira of Surat in Gujarat.

However, no casualty has been reported in the accident.

District collector Dhawal Patel said that the fire occurred after the blasts at around 3 am this morning. An on-site emergency was declared and the fire-control operations were started soon after.

Meanwhile, the ONGC has tweeted that the fire was observed in the Hazira Gas processing plant in the morning today. ‘Fire has been brought under control. There is no casualty or injury to any person,’ the tweet mentioned.

सूरत के हजीरा ONGC गैस टर्मिनल में आज सुबह विस्फोट हुआ । प्रचंड धड़ाके की वजह से लोगों में भय फैल गया था ।

आदरणीय वडाप्रधान श्री @narendramodi सर लगातार टेलीफ़ोनिक संपर्क में है, और उन्होंने इस घटना के बारे में त्वरित कार्यवाही के निर्देश दिए है ।

— C R Paatil (@CRPaatil) September 24, 2020

Notably, crude from Mumbai in the plant spread in around 640 hectare, is brought through an over 200 km long undersea pipeline. Gas fuels like LPG, Naphtha, ATF, HSDN Propane etc., are made there.

An onlooker said that the blast was so strong that it felt like a tremor. Its sound was heard till over 25 kms. The whole sky was filled with dense gas made clouds. The flames could also be seen from quite far away places.

It is understood that the blast and fire has caused extensive damage to the pipe-line and some equipment. The ONGC is likely to initiate an internal probe into the accident as per laid down procedure, to find out the exact reason for it and the extent of damage done.