A major fire that erupted in a naphtha-carrying pipeline at the Haldia refinery in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district early Tuesday left more than 10 people injured, damaged railway infrastructure and disrupted train services, officials said. The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained, and an investigation is underway.

The fire was first reported around 2.45 am at the refinery's naphtha pipeline and rapidly spread to Chiranjibpur in Ward 13 of Haldia Municipality, engulfing several nearby houses.

Twelve fire tenders were pressed into service, and firefighting operations continued through the day as emergency teams worked to bring the blaze under control.

"Preliminary information suggests that the incident may have occurred in the vicinity of an unauthorised naphtha theft point located in the plant vicinity," Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd said in a statement, as quoted by Reuters.

However, the statement did not specify if the fire had affected operations at the refinery.

"We are aware of an incident that occurred at our Haldia facility, in which a few people have reportedly sustained injuries," the statement said.

HPL said the exact cause of the incident is under investigation and said it had cautioned local communities against unauthorised access to petroleum products.

The injured were rescued and taken to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Five of them were later shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital, where two were reported to be in critical condition, police said. Several workers present near the pipeline sustained burn injuries in the incident.

"The area has been secured, and firefighting operations are continuing. The exact cause of the incident will be known only after a detailed investigation," a police officer said.

The blaze also damaged overhead railway equipment near the site, leading to disruption of rail services on the Haldia-Mecheda route. As a precautionary measure, the morning Haldia-Howrah local train was delayed, affecting commuters travelling towards Panskura and Howrah.

According to local residents, the flames spread dangerously close to the railway tracks, prompting railway authorities to suspend train movement until the situation was brought under control.

Haldia Petrochem said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident. The company said ensuring the safety of workers remains its top priority and that all injured persons are receiving appropriate medical treatment.