New Delhi: An explosion in a petroleum tanker at the Hindustan Petroleum plant in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district led to a major fire in the area on Thursday. The explosion was caused by a leak in a valve and it erupted stampede in the plant. Soon after the incident, fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames. Additional forces have also been deployed in the area.

Though no casualty has been reported as yet in the incident, several villages located near the plant have been evacuated and all roads leading to the site have been closed to the public. "We have put the area in a five kilometre-radius on high alert," said a senior official.

This comes days after four people lost their lived and three others were injured after a fire broke out at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) plant in Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra on September 3. The ONGC said there was no impact on oil processing and that the gas was diverted to its Hazira plant in Surat district of Gujarat. The blaze erupted around 7 am in a processing plant of the ONGC located in Uran area of neighbouring Navi Mumbai, the police said.

While on Saturday, one person was killed after a fire broke out at an oil godown in west Delhi's Punjabi Bagh area, officials said. Later, 12 more fire tenders were rushed to the spot after the category of fire increased.

(With inputs from agencies)