Massive fire at Rajasthan refinery day ahead of its inauguration by PM Modi

A major fire broke out at the Pachpadra refinery in Rajasthan's Barmer district on Monday afternoon, just a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate a key unit at the facility.

According to officials, the blaze erupted in the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), sending thick plumes of smoke billowing across the refinery premises. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Emergency response teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident was reported. Dozens of fire tenders from Balotra and nearby areas were deployed, and efforts to bring the blaze under control were underway at the time of reporting.

Rajasthan Chief Secretary V Srinivas, along with senior administrative officials, police personnel and security teams, reached the site to oversee the situation. As a precautionary measure, the CDU unit and surrounding areas were evacuated.

The incident came on the eve of Prime Minister Modi's planned visit on April 21 to inaugurate a refinery unit. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma was also scheduled to visit the site later today to review security arrangements ahead of the event.

The Pachpadra refinery project has seen multiple phases since its inception. Its foundation stone was laid on September 22, 2013, by Sonia Gandhi during the Ashok Gehlot-led government, with an initial estimated cost of Rs 37,230 crore.

Following a change in government, Prime Minister Modi relaunched the project on January 16, 2018, with a revised cost estimate of Rs 43,129 crore.

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(With inputs from Dinesh Bohra.)