A fire rages at Numaligarh refinery in Golaghat on Friday. Picture by UB Photos

Golaghat, May 31: A fire broke out at Numaligarh refinery in Golaghat on Friday morning.

The blaze started in the crude distillation unit (CDU) and vacuum-distillation unit (VDU) of the refinery. Fire tenders took over four hours to douse the flames.

“The fire broke out around 5.24am following which fire tenders of the refinery rushed to the spot. Fire tenders from Bokakhat, Dergaon and Golaghat later assisted them. The blaze was doused around 9.40am,” Kajol Saikia, chief manager (human resources) of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) told The Telegraph.

The CDU and VDU are considered to be the mother units of the refinery.

“The CDU distils the incoming crude oil into various fractions, each of which is then further processed in the other refinery proce- ssing units. That is why production has been stopped for the time being as a pre- cautionary measure,” Saikia said.

When asked what may have caused the fire, he said: “It might have been a technical glitch.”

Numaligarh refinery, which has a capacity to produce 3 million tonnes of crude oil per annum, commenced commercial production in October 2000.

On April 7 last year, Ulfa claimed responsibility for a powerful blast at the hydro-cracker unit of the refinery.

Saikia said the loss sustained by the refinery was being assessed and a high-level committee had been formed to investigate the actual cause of the fire.

He, however, ruled out any possibility of sabotage.

Sources at the refinery said it might take about three months to repair the distillation units.

“However, there is enough finished stock for supply at the moment,” the official said.