BPCL Fire: 43 injured after loud explosion and fire at Bharat Petroleum's plant in Mumbai's Mahul. LIVE updates here

Updated at 8:19 PM: Number of injured people rises to 45. 

Forty-three people have sustained injuries in a massive fire that broke out at the BPCL Mumbai refinery's Mahul plant near Chembur on Wednesday afternoon.

Out of the 43 injured people, all of whom are workers at the plant, 22 have been sent home after receiving treatment, while 21 have been shifted to hospital, as per the Mumbai Police. The Mumbai Police adds that one of those injured is in a critical condition.

The fire had broken out at 2:45 pm on Wednesday and was accompanied by a loud explosion. The incident was reported at 3:03 and ascertained to be a Level-3 fire. By 3:33 pm, 9 fire tenders, 2 foam tenders and 2 jumbo tankers were at the spot, as per ANI, even as a huge column of billowing black smoke was visible from a significant distance away from the heavily industrialised area.

BPCL had issued an initial statement:

A fire occurred at BPCL Mumbai Refinery at Mahul plant today at around 1445hrs. The fire was in the Compressor shed of Hydrocracker plant. The fire is being fought by The Refinery fire fighting team. The fire is still on but is under control. There has been minor injury sustained by 2 people. They were attended at our Refinery Medical Centre and are being taken to hospital for further treatment.