The Mumbai Port Trust on Monday declared the firefighting operation, that began on October 6, to douse the blaze that engulfed a fuel tank on Butcher Island successful, PTI reported. The process will be complete by Monday evening, Mumbai Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer PS Rahangdale told Scroll.in, adding that there was only controlled burning at the site.
“Operation at Jawahar Dweep island is completed successfully,” the news agency quoted the trust’s chairperson, Sanjay Bhatia, as saying. Jawahar Dweep is the island’s official name. The smoldering within the tank will continue for a while, Bhatia said.
Officials suspect that lightning may have sparked the fire that broke out at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited’s tank number 13. The fire was limited to one tank, BPCL executive director Manohar Rao said. No casualties were reported.
Operations at the facilities on the island will resume only after an inspection rules out any danger.
Several agencies, including personnel from the port trust, BPCL, Oil and Natural Gas Limited, City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra, helped control the fire, Bhatia said.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!