A major explosion at the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) complex in coastal Karnataka resulted in the death of one worker and left eight others injured on Wednesday afternoon. The incident took place around 12:15 PM inside the facility’s coker hydrotreater unit. According to plant officials, the blast and subsequent fire were triggered by the sudden rupture of a high-pressure cold separator tank. The vessel had been operating under roughly 70 bar of pressure—equivalent to seventy times normal atmospheric pressure at sea level—before failing. Emergency protocols were enacted immediately following the breach. Plant personnel isolated the surrounding sector, evacuated the area, and mobilized internal firefighting teams. While emergency responders successfully contained the blaze, ongoing cooling measures remained in place to prevent secondary flare-ups. Police authorities confirmed that contract technician Manish Karkera, 30, a resident of nearby Mulki, succumbed to fatal injuries during the blast. The injured personnel were shifted to local medical centers for immediate treatment. Post navigation J&K Government Offers One-Time OPS Switch for Eligible Employees
