A powerful explosion occurred at the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) plant on Wednesday afternoon, with a loud bang that sent shock waves around the area and triggered a massive panic wave among nearby residents.
The Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta stated that he remains in continuous touch with the police commissioner, MRPL management, and the concerned departments. MP Chowta canceled scheduled public engagements in Belthangady to visit the accident site directly. Officials urged local residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified rumors, and cooperate fully with district administration directives.
He said the local hospitals were put on alert mode for any emergency admissions that may be arriving.
The explosion impact was experienced several kilometers from the point of origin, causing window panes at the Mangaluru airport administration building to rattle. The explosion caused vibrations in houses in Jokatte and Surathkal areas, shaking the buildings’ doors and windows. Several fire tenders were dispatched from all parts of Mangaluru to the site, along with ambulances leaving the premises. As per safety instructions issued by the district administration, a visual inspection of the airport’s important facilities including the peripheral roads and lighting arrangements was undertaken by airport officials.
