More than 10 people were injured after a massive fire broke out at a naphtha-carrying pipeline of Haldia Petrochemicals in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district in the early hours of Tuesday.Preliminary information suggests that the incident may have occurred in the vicinity of an unauthorized naphtha theft point located in the plant vicinity, Haldia Petrochemicals said in a statement.“Naphtha is a highly combustible and extremely flammable hydrocarbon, and the company has consistently cautioned local communities against any unauthorized access to or handling of petroleum products due to the serious safety risks involved,” it said.Firefighting operations are underway, according to officials. The injured were rescued and taken to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Five of them were later shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital.“The exact cause of the incident is currently under investigation in coordination with the relevant authorities. At this stage, it would be premature to comment further or attribute responsibility until the investigation is complete,” Haldia Petrochemicals said.The incident also disrupted railway operations, officials said.Published on June 30, 2026