Jaipur: A fire incident was reported on Monday at the Pachpadra Refinery in Rajasthan’s Balotra district, leading to the postponement of its scheduled inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 21.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirmed that the inauguration ceremony, originally planned for Tuesday, has been deferred following the incident.
In an official statement, the Ministry said: “Due to an unfortunate fire incident today in the vicinity of the Crude Distillation Unit at the HRRL refinery, the scheduled dedication of the refinery by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 21.04.2026 has been postponed.”
The fire has been brought under control. There are no reports of any casualties. An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the causes of the incident. A revised date for the inauguration will be announced in due course, the Ministry said.
According to initial reports, the fire broke out around 2:00 p.m. following an explosion in an exchanger in the refinery’s Crude and Vacuum Distillation Unit.
The blaze spread rapidly, triggering panic among employees and officials at the site.
Emergency protocols were immediately activated, and the refinery premises were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
All personnel were safely escorted out, and no injuries or casualties have been reported.
Local administration and emergency services responded swiftly. Fire tenders, many of which were already stationed nearby in view of PM Modi’s scheduled programme, were immediately deployed to control the blaze.
Firefighters worked for nearly two hours to contain the fire, which is now under control. Cooling operations and safety assessments are ongoing.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot termed the incident “extremely unfortunate.”
In a post on X, he expressed concern, noting that the refinery is a matter of pride for the state, and wished for the safety of all personnel.
He said he was deeply concerned upon hearing about the fire at the refinery in Pachpadra, Balotra, adding that the refinery is a project of immense pride for Rajasthanis and that its inauguration was scheduled for tomorrow.
At such a juncture, this incident is truly unfortunate, he added, and prayed for the safety and well-being of everyone involved.
Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and to implement necessary safety measures.
Officials stated that further updates, including the rescheduled inauguration date, will be shared soon.
(IANS)
