India, Nov. 2 -- A major fire broke out at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)'s refinery in Gajuwaka industrial area in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam late on Monday night, people familiar with the matter said.

According to an HPCL employee, the blaze is believed to have erupted within the refinery's premises. "We have heard sounds of an explosion in the area. Flames quickly spread to nearby areas, sending thick clouds of black smoke into the sky and engulfing the surrounding locality," the employee said.

Alarmed by the massive flames and thick smoke, residents in nearby areas rushed out of their homes.

Soon after receiving information about the fire, the refinery's internal firefighting teams, along with fire engines from ...