Property damage and business interruption

17.12, pipeline fire

India: an accidental fire in a crude oil pipeline of Oil India Limited left a labourer with burn injuries in Hajo, 40 km from Guwahati. The fire broke out while work was in progress to replace a section of the pipeline with a new one. The fire was contained in the trench dug for the purpose of replacing the pipeline section. Fire fighters rushed from Guwahati to Hajo to douse the fire, which raged for about two hours before it was extinguished. The pipeline carried crude oil from Naharkatia in Upper Assam to Barauni in Bihar. The pipeline had been depressurised for the work and there was no oil flow when the fire occurred. However, there was oil in the pipeline and the fire raged until all the oil burned off. The fire could have been started by a burning cigarette or sparks from welding that was underway at the time