Mangaluru: The impact of the blast at the Coker Hydrotreater Unit of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) on the outskirts of Mangaluru has left 54 houses and eight places of worship damaged, according to the Dakshina Kannada district administration.

The blast occurred at the MRPL facility on Wednesday, September 30, after a high-pressure Cold Separator in the Coker Hydrotreater Unit ruptured, triggering a fire. MRPL said the fire was brought under control and completely extinguished by 2.47 pm.

One contract worker, identified as Manish Karkada, died in the incident. Several others were injured, according to reports from the authorities and media.

Jokatte records highest number of damaged houses

According to the Dakshina Kannada district administration, the 54 damaged houses are spread across three villages located close to the MRPL facility.

Jokatte reported the highest number of affected houses, with 25 houses damaged. Another 19 houses were damaged in Kalavaru, while 10 houses were damaged in Bala village.

The blast was powerful enough to affect structures outside the refinery premises. Residents in several surrounding areas reported a loud explosion and vibrations, while damage to windows, doors and other parts of buildings was reported following the incident.

The extent of the damage has prompted concerns among residents living close to the refinery and calls for a detailed assessment of the impact.

Eight places of worship damaged

The blast also damaged eight places of worship in the surrounding villages.

Of these, five are located in Jokatte and three in Kalavaru, according to an official statement from the district administration.

The damage to religious structures, along with the impact on residential buildings, has added to concerns over the effect of the blast on communities living around the refinery.

Reports also said the blast damaged structures in areas within a few kilometres of the MRPL premises. The intensity of the explosion was widely felt in nearby localities, with residents reporting shaking buildings and shattered glass.

Blast impact reported across surrounding areas

The explosion was heard across several parts of Mangaluru and nearby areas. Residents of Jokatte, Kalavaru, Bajpe, Katipalla, Surathkal and other localities reported hearing the loud blast.

Manjunath Bhandary, MLC, said the impact was felt within a radius of around 15 km from MRPL, including Bajpe. He called for a high-level technical investigation into the incident and urged MRPL to strengthen safety measures.

Bhandary also sought adequate compensation for the family of the deceased worker and said MRPL should bear the treatment expenses of those injured in the incident.

MLC Ivan D’Souza also called for a comprehensive investigation and adequate precautionary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Calls for compensation and safety review

Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharat Shetty, after visiting the MRPL premises, said the blast had caused concern among residents in Surathkal and other parts of the city.

Shetty called for a comprehensive investigation and compensation for affected workers. He said the impact of the blast, including the vibrations experienced by residents, highlighted the need to examine safety measures at the industrial facility.

The demands for compensation come alongside calls for a detailed assessment of damage to houses and places of worship in the surrounding villages.

Authorities will also have to assess the extent of structural damage and determine the appropriate relief measures for affected residents.

CPI(M) seeks transparent investigation

Muneer Katipalla, secretary of the Dakshina Kannada unit of CPI(M), alleged that the scale of damage was greater than initially projected by the company and district administration.

Katipalla called for a transparent investigation into the incident and raised concerns over alleged safety and environmental violations at MRPL’s Phase III facilities.

He alleged that the Coker-Sulphur unit had a history of regulatory violations and claimed that residents of villages including Jokatte and Kalavaru had faced long-standing pollution-related problems.

Katipalla also alleged that the company had delayed implementation of a six-point directive issued by the State government in 2016. These are allegations made by the CPI(M) leader and would need to be established through an official investigation.

Investigation to determine cause and responsibility

The immediate cause of the incident has been linked by MRPL to the rupture of a high-pressure Cold Separator in the Coker Hydrotreater Unit. However, the broader circumstances that led to the rupture and the extent to which safety systems functioned during the incident will require detailed technical examination.

MRPL’s emergency response and firefighting teams isolated the affected unit and worked to contain the fire. The subsequent inspection and combing operation led to the recovery of the deceased worker’s body.

With dozens of houses and places of worship affected outside the refinery premises, the incident has now raised wider questions about industrial safety and the protection of communities living around major industrial facilities.

A detailed technical investigation, along with the district administration’s damage assessment, is expected to provide greater clarity on the cause of the blast, the extent of structural damage and measures required to prevent a recurrence.