The torrential rains had already brought the commercial capital to a screeching halt and the inferno at Bombay High added fuel to the fire.

The nation watched in dismay as the largest offshore oil and gas field battled the blaze on July 27, 2005 and killed at least ten people.

A vessel collided with the offshore Mumbai High North platform, 160 km west of the Mumbai coast leading to a major fire and completely destroying the platform. There were 385 people on the platform when the fire broke out.

Situated some 161 km north of the Mumbai coast, Bombay High has a string of oil and gas rigs in the sea that pumps oil to the coast. It produces 14 per cent of India's oil requirements and accounts for 38 per cent of all domestic production.

Official statistics of what is the financial loss to ONGC due to the fire are not available. But reports say it could be as high as Rs 32,000 crore. The platform that was gutted in the fire was insured for $195 million.

A head-on collision between freight and passenger express train killed 18 in Vadodara, Gujarat on April 21, 2005.