Mangaluru, September 2026 : One person was killed and nine others injured after a powerful explosion followed by a fire was reported at the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) plant in Karnataka’s Mangaluru on Wednesday. The fire has since been brought under control, while authorities have begun investigating the cause of the incident.
Mangaluru Deputy Commissioner Darshan H.V. confirmed that one person died and nine labourers sustained injuries in the blast. The deceased was identified as Manish, 30, who was working as an electrician at the MRPL facility.
According to police, Manish was a resident of Haleyangadi on the outskirts of Mangaluru. He was present at the site along with injured worker Rajesh Baptist when the explosion occurred. Manish suffered critical burn injuries and later died. Fire personnel launched an operation to recover his body from the affected area.
The injured workers were identified as Rajesh Baptist of Surathkal, Prasad, Indrajit, Raman, Jarome, Jayaram, Avinash, Akshay and another worker.
Baptist suffered around 30 per cent burn injuries and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Srinivasa Hospital. The remaining injured workers were shifted to AG Hospital and MRPL Hospital for treatment. Officials said the condition of the injured was being monitored.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the explosion occurred at around 12.15 p.m. at the hydro-treating unit of the MRPL plant while testing activity was under way.
A potentially larger tragedy was reportedly averted because workers had left the unit following a shift change at around 11.30 a.m. Officials indicated that the number of casualties could have been significantly higher had more workers been present inside the unit when the explosion occurred.
Karnataka Health Minister and Mangaluru District In-charge Minister U.T. Khader said the blast took place during testing at MRPL and that the injured workers had been shifted to a private hospital. He said the situation was under control.
The force of the explosion was felt across several areas surrounding the MRPL complex, including Panambur, Kavoor, Surathkal and Jokatte. Residents reported that houses shook following the blast, while the intensity of the explosion was captured by CCTV cameras in some locations.
In Jokatte, located close to the MRPL premises, doors and windows of the Gram Panchayat office and nearby houses reportedly rattled violently. Glass panes were also broken at some locations.
Thick smoke spread across the surrounding areas after the explosion, adding to concerns among residents.
An Anganwadi centre located close to the MRPL facility also suffered damage, with window glass and part of a wall affected. As a precautionary measure, children at the centre were immediately evacuated following the incident.
The impact was reportedly felt at a church located around two kilometres from the MRPL facility. Roof tiles were damaged, while windows and doors of the church were also reportedly shattered.
Mangaluru International Airport authorities said the impact of the explosion was felt at the airport, similar to several other areas around the refinery. However, there was no damage to airport infrastructure and no glass panes were broken.
Following the blast, a fire broke out in the boiler section of the affected unit. Thick smoke was seen rising from the facility as MRPL’s fire and emergency services personnel, assisted by fire tenders from Mangaluru, rushed to the site.
Firefighters and emergency teams worked to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other sections of the refinery. The fire was subsequently brought under control.
Authorities have not yet established the exact cause of the explosion or assessed the full extent of damage to the facility and surrounding structures. A detailed investigation is expected to determine whether equipment failure, testing procedures or another factor triggered the incident.
Meanwhile, local leader and activist Muneer Katipalla raised concerns about safety around the refinery and alleged that residents had previously opposed the establishment and operation of the unit.
Katipalla claimed that local residents had raised safety concerns when the unit was established and began operations about a decade ago. He alleged that political leaders and authorities had supported the company and that earlier incidents at the facility had not received adequate public attention.
He also called for a review of the safety of residential areas surrounding the refinery and said the government should either consider shutting down the facility or relocating houses located close to the plant.
Katipalla further claimed that the blast had damaged buildings in the surrounding areas, including walls of a school and an Anjuman building, besides doors and windows of houses.
He demanded that MRPL and the authorities provide complete and accurate information about the incident and ensure that details regarding the cause and extent of the blast are not withheld from the public.
With one fatality and nine workers injured, the incident has brought renewed attention to industrial safety and emergency preparedness around the large refinery complex. Authorities are expected to conduct a detailed assessment before determining the next course of action.
