NEW DELHI, July 27 (Reuters) – Haldia Petrochemicals’ (HPL) naphtha pipeline did not cause last month’s fire near its plant in eastern India, according to an independent report and pressure test reviewed by Reuters on Monday.
• An independent committee including specialists in industrial and fire safety concluded the incident was a vapour-cloud fire with a mild explosion, triggered by an unidentified ignition source, the report said.
• HPL’s naphtha pipelines at the site of the fire are shut currently because of the fire, said two sources close to the matter.
• The committee found the flammable material was hydrocarbon vapour or gas rather than liquid naphtha, which had initially been suspected as the source of the fire.
• A pressure test report found no leaks in HPL’s and nearby pipelines.
• The company had previously said the fire happened at a place where naphtha — a volatile, highly flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture produced during refining — had been stolen in the past.
• HPL had earlier said that operations at its plant were not affected by the fire.
(Reporting by Mohi NarayanEditing by David Goodman)
