Multiple casualties after massive blaze breaks out at oil refinery outside Mumbai, India (VIDEOS)

A towering inferno has erupted at a state-run ONGC oil and gas processing plant at Uran, outside Mumbai, reportedly killing five people and injuring at least 11 more while forcing the evacuation of area residents.

The fire broke out in a storm water drainage system around 7am local time on Tuesday morning at the facility. Fire and emergency management services are on the scene and have contained the fire, though local residents have been evacuated and the area cordoned off by police, according to local media.

At least eight workers at the plant have been hospitalized with burn injuries, and up to five deaths have been reported so far. Oil processing at the plant has not been affected, though gas has been diverted to another plant at Hazira in Gujarat, 330km away. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

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