Big fire at Mumbai IOC depot
New Delhi   19-Jan-2011

In one of the biggest infernos at the Taloja MIDC in Navi Mumbai, a massive fire engulfed an IndianOil (IOC) depot late on Monday night. The depot stored large quantities of lubricant oil.

Fire brigade officials were immediately called in, but managed to douse the fire after a seven-hour long battle. While no casualties were reported in the incident, the fire has badly damaged the depot and officials said that it might take at least a month for operations to resume at the depot.

At around 2 am, the fire brigade received a call after which they rushed to the spot. “Around 1,000 drums containing 200 litres of lubricant oil each were stored in the depot where the fire broke out. We had mobilised around 50 firefighters from all four sides of the premises to stop the huge flames spreading to other areas,” said Devendra Potphode, divisional fire officer from the MIDC, Mumbai who was leading the operation. According to fire officials, the fire has destroyed around 40,000 litres of lubricant oil.

“There were several minor explosions in the fire as well, and with each explosion, burning drums kept shooting up in the air like rockets. Our primary concern was to keep the fire contained inside the company premises,” Mr Potphode added.

The fire officers also said that the brigade had managed to avert a major tragedy, as the fire was controlled before it spread to a nearby godown in which an equal amount of lubricant oil was stored.

“Lubricant oil is heavy and very difficult to extinguish if it is ignited. The intensity of the heat was so high that we had to maintain a very long distance from the inferno and douse the flames bit by bit,” Mr Potphode said.

Around 30 fire engines were rushed to the spot and water was drawn from neighbouring industries to contain the fire. Firemen from CIDCO and Navi Mumbai were also pressed into service.