JOIN USA major fire broke out at an oil depot off the Wadala area of Mumbai on Friday evening and the cause is suspected to be a possible leakage.
The incident has brought to the fore the issue of security in the eastern side of the city which has several strategic units, defence establishments, oil installations and the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT).
Firemen were yet to douse the fire late on Friday night and the firefighting operations were expected to continue till the early hours of Sunday.
The fire broke out at an oil depot of a lubricant company located in MbPT area between the eastern seafront of Mumbai and Wadala. Traffic movement was halted at the Eastern Freeway and the Sewree-Wadala Road as a precautionary measure.
Fourteen fire tenders, 12 jumbo water tankers and five ambulances were rushed to the spot by the Mumbai Fire Brigade. One fire engine each of the MbPT, BPCL and HPCL were rushed to the spot.
Loud explosions
There were no reports of casualties yet. Eyewitnesses reported a series of explosions before the fire.
Thick black smoke could be seen billowing out from the depot – which could be seen from most of the flyovers of south Mumbai and central Mumbai.
People commuting on monorail between Wadala and Chembur and passengers on the harbour line of the Central Railway reported smoke.
Top officials of Mumbai Police, Mumbai Fire Brigade, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and oil companies are camping near the spot and supervising the operations.