An explosion at the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) plant on September 30 killed one contract worker and injured eight others, officials said.

The blast occurred around 12:15 pm in the coker hydro treating unit of the refinery. The worker who died was identified as 30-year-old Manish Karkara. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, and one of them was reported to be in serious condition.

Firefighters controlled the blaze that followed the explosion, and company officials said near-term output from the refinery would not be affected. The cause of the blast is being investigated by company safety teams and government inspectors.

The incident comes days after a separate gas-leak accident elsewhere that killed two workers. Authorities said the two incidents are unrelated and that safety audits at refineries are being reviewed in the wake of the accidents.

Officials said a technical committee will examine whether safety protocols were followed. The plant employs hundreds of workers, and the accident has raised fresh questions about industrial safety at refineries in the region.