Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Mangaluru Refinery Explosion Kills One and Injures Eight
An explosion happened at a refinery near Mangaluru on Wednesday.
The blast started a fire in a unit called a coker hydrotreater.
Officials said a piece of equipment called a cold separator broke while under very high pressure.
One worker, Manish Karkera, died.
Eight other people were injured.
Workers quickly isolated the unit to stop the problem from spreading.
The unit was evacuated and firefighters controlled the flames.
Cooling work was expected to continue after the fire was brought under control.
One person was killed and eight were injured in a blast at a refinery unit near Mangaluru, Karnataka.
The explosion occurred at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday in the coker hydrotreater unit.
Refinery officials said a cold separator operating at 70 bar ruptured, triggering the fire.
The affected unit was isolated and evacuated, while firefighters brought the blaze under control.
The deceased was identified as 30-year-old contract employee Manish Karkera from Mulki.
- Who
- One contract employee, Manish Karkera, died, and eight people were injured.
- What
- A blast and fire occurred after a cold separator ruptured in the coker hydrotreater unit.
- When
- Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.
- Where
- Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited on the outskirts of Mangaluru, Karnataka.
- Why
- Refinery officials said the cold separator, operating at 70 bar, ruptured and triggered the fire.
- Death toll
- One person
- Injuries
- Eight people
- Incident time
- 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday
- Affected unit
- Coker hydrotreater unit
- Reported trigger
- Rupture of a cold separator operating at 70 bar
- Response
- The unit was isolated and evacuated; firefighting brought the blaze under control
- Deceased
- Manish Karkera, 30, a contract employee from Mulki