VISAKHAPATNAM, India: A massive fire broke out at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) refinery in Visakhapatnam, southern India, on Monday night, sending flames and thick clouds of black smoke into the sky, Indian media reported.
The fire reportedly erupted at a sulphur pitch tank in the refinery’s Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF). Local residents said they heard sounds resembling an explosion shortly before the blaze broke out. However, police have not confirmed reports of an explosion, The New Indian Express and Hindustan Times reported.
HUGE INFERNO at HPCL REFINERY in Visakhapatnam, India — towering flames light up SKY
MASSIVE SMOKE PLUME rises above the facility
Refinery processes 15 MILLION METRIC TONNES PER ANNUM https://t.co/2h4cBr4NXf
— RT (@RT_com) November 2, 2026
Visakhapatnam is located in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Fire tenders operated by the refinery were deployed to contain the blaze. Emergency teams launched firefighting operations to prevent the flames from spreading to other sections of the facility, The New Indian Express reported.
An HPCL official confirmed to the newspaper that the fire had broken out in a pitch tank at the RUF. The official said the smoke was thick because of the high viscosity of the product stored in the tank.
Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi said the fire was confined to the affected tank and posed no threat to other sections of the refinery, News Nine reported.
Police Inspector Prakash Rao told reporters that the refinery’s internal firefighting teams brought the blaze under control. He said there had been no need to deploy fire tenders from other parts of the city, as the refinery’s own firefighting units had contained the fire, Hindustan Times reported.
A fire broke out at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) refinery in Gajuwaka industrial area of Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam late on Monday night, police said.
More details: https://t.co/HB1IyASNdH https://t.co/POEbFLwF27
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) November 2, 2026
However, News Nine reported that firefighting teams were continuing operations and monitoring the affected tank as cooling measures were carried out.
Residents Evacuate Amid Panic
No deaths or injuries had been reported following the incident, according to statements by refinery officials and police.
The HPCL official told The New Indian Express that no injuries or fatalities had been reported and that the extent of property damage would be assessed the following day.
#WATCH | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh: A massive fire has broken out at the HPCL refinery in Visakhapatnam. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Further details are awaited. (02.11) https://t.co/1QMTqAMjod
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2026
Inspector Rao also said there had been no casualties or injuries. He sought to reassure refinery employees and residents in surrounding areas, saying the flames had been brought under control within an hour, Hindustan Times reported.
The fire sent thick plumes of black smoke over nearby neighbourhoods, prompting residents living close to the refinery to leave their homes amid fears that the blaze could spread, Hindustan Times reported.
An HPCL employee told the newspaper that flames had spread rapidly, while smoke engulfed parts of the surrounding locality.
As a precautionary measure, refinery officials suspended power supply to the affected area and evacuated personnel to safer locations, the newspaper reported.
